Strother Martin Monument 1972, artist Kent Twitchellphoto by Ruth Wallach
Reading through some of the blogs responding to the LA Times story I see that there is still some misunderstanding about the graffiti issue. I only oppose spray paint when it is used to cover over murals or other public art. That is called vandalism and that alone is the reason "we cannot coexist" as I was correctly quoted as saying in the Times. It is the reason LA is no longer the mural capital. Once there were 2 - 3 thousand murals here and every one has been destroyed by spray paint. Either they were painted out because the vandalism became such a blight or they are still out there covered with spray paint and therefore just waiting to be coated over with beige paint.
Spray paint on murals has caused a slow redefinition of the exterior mural,
once an oasis in Los Angeles. Now many people see murals as ugly when actually it is the vandalism that is ugly. I'm not against artists who use spray paint in their work. I used it myself during 1962-63, but every muralist I know is demoralized by all of their works being destroyed by the stuff.
Ernesto de la Losa is an example. He has devoted his life to painting beautiful murals in the city he loves. Vandals using cans of spray paint have now managed to destroy every brush stroke, every careful blend and every studied mixture of color and value and form that Ernesto has placed on every wall. It's as if Ernesto de la Losa never lived. That story is multiplied throughout Los Angeles
The issue is not about aesthetics. That's a straw argument. Let's just call spray paint on any wall art. There, that finishes that. So what? If I painted a work of art on the hood of your new car it's still vandalism and an act of utter disrespect for your rights. So whether it's art or not is irrelevant. Agreeing that it's art does not make it right. It's all a question of having respect, or at the very least consideration, for others. Still there is a growing number of people out there who believe it's our right to free expression to paint anywhere we want with or without permission. I run into that idea more and more. I believe that position is raised by people who surely can not have a capacity for empathy. What if one of the spray paint vandals they like to romanticize decided to paint all over their grandmother's house. Maybe they would blame her for complaining. Then what about on their new car? Maybe then they would start to care. Where does "free expression" end? At what point would they begin to have empathy for Ernesto and so many others? Maybe after they have some tags on their forehead.
Interview with Kent Twitchell, by TrueFresco.org and the FrescoSchool
