Whitewashed: Destroying The Graffiti Mecca

[Steve]

Before: -

 

http://i.imgur.com/FfCVHis.jpg

 

After: -

 

http://i.imgur.com/HJXXDlZ.jpg

 

On November 18, 2013, from midnight until dusk, the owners of 5Pointz, the internationally acclaimed graffiti Mecca, ordered workers to paint over more than a decade of street art. The whitewash effectively put an end to the community's ballooning campaign to stop a plan to build two high-rise luxury condos where 5Pointz currently stands. These are the stories of a handful of artists, locals and tourists who went back to see what was lost.

Check out the full article, HERE, cos it's a good read.

[Guest petesasqwax]

excellent piece (no pun intended). I've seen a lot about 5pointz over the years and in the last few months it has been clear that the end was in sight, but to see it all put across like this gives a totally fresh perspective to it all. I'm not surprised. Reminds me of the stories about NYC in the 80s, around the time of 'Flyin' Cut Sleeves' etc. when developers relocated people en masse and changed the nature of so many parts of the city under the guise of improving the transport infrastructure. On the one hand, I have a kind of robust "build - destroy - build again (anew)" attitude, but this chips away at that somewhat. There's a human tale here that transcends the usual arguments about the destruction of derelict buildings previously given over to legal art spaces and it's not an easy one to read

[doppelkorn]

I find it quite an interesting read too.

 

I'm not that aware of the status of the museum beforehand but most people on there seemed to think it was inevitable.

 

Isn't the point, and the beauty of graffiti/street art that it's temporary? I think a lot of the appeal is that you've only got a limited time to see something and part of what your looking at is evidence of an act of daring, as well as an act of artistic skill?

 

Like you see those bombs or quick throwups on mad bridges or insane huge roller pieces or fire extinguisher pieces and you appreciate it for how it was done, the fact that it was done at all and who did it, rather than the aesthetic qualities of the piece itself.

[doppelkorn]

I have a load of French graff mags from when I was living there. I should scan them in one day.

 

I always loved the roller jobs and throwies more than the big murals.

[djdiggla]

I like the roller work too. Like ESPO

[Guest petesasqwax]

I loved how Espo did the roller shutters on the old fire station in broad daylight using ladders and the old "wear coveralls and don't act suspicious" methodology

[doppelkorn]

Ah whut! Pics!

[doppelkorn]

Reminds me of Toynbee tiles.

 

[Guest petesasqwax]

Dopp - I'll try to find some. If I remember right it was in 'The Art of Getting Over' but I sadly don't have that anymore. Had to sell it when I was po'

[Steve]

I have a load of French graff mags from when I was living there. I should scan them in one day.

I've got a bunch of scanned graff mags: -

 

http://i.imgur.com/rLXjytT.jpg

[Guest petesasqwax]

haven't tracked down the fire station pics yet but searching online did lead me to this:



sometimes with all the signwriting he does these days it's easy to forget how nice he always was with his original style