June 12, 2004
Free De La Vega!
The Times has a good article on James De La Vega, a graffiti artist who was arrested last July for painting a mural on Willis Avenue in the Bronx. De La Vega is one of the city's best known graffiti artist, thanks largely to his sidewalk chalk works. Gothamist first noticed them about six years ago. Lots of memorable quotes like "Your Thumbs Are More Important Than You Think" and "The Rich Control The Destiny Of The Poor, But An Intelligent Man Controls His Own." De La Vega also does murals, mostly in upper Manhattan near his studio on East 103rd Street. In 1999, he was arrested while doing a permission piece on the side of a supermarket in Spanish Harlem, and ended up pleading guilty before the owner could get there an back up his story. That led to a probation sentance, which created the possibility of real jail time after the Bronx arrest last year.
De La Vega was offered another probation deal a couple of months ago, but he turned it down, expecting a jury trial. Unfortuantely, the DA knocked the charges down to class B's, which meant the trial went before a judge. Last week the trial ended with a guilty verdict, which means De La Vega is most likely getting 90 days in Rikers at the sentencing next month.
Salon had a nice profile of De La Vega in April, and the East Harlem News also has some good De La Vega stuff. Previous Gothamist post on the De La Vega arrest, with some good comments.
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So, in 1999 he was made to plead guilty to a charge of which he was innocent and ended up with probation and a record and this was never overturned. Now he is being denied a trial by jury by a the machinations of a DA who wants a conviction.
Is this the state of "justice" here in New York City? It reminds me of this It seems to be the way we treat our artists who dissent with the government.
If he did have permission to paint, then it should be all good. If he didn't have permission, I've had to repaint the friggen' garage door about a dozen times too many to have that much sympathy for graffiti "artists".
King Hippo's right - there's this rare, almost unheard of legal tactic called "signing an affidavit". So even if the store owner can't come to the trial, he can attest on paper that he approved of the artist's mural, get it stamped by a notary and it's all good. An affidavit from the person who owned or leased the wall in question would have settled the whole thing before it ever went to court - assuming De La Vega actually had their permission.
That said, I always found De La Vega's chalk scribblings to be annoying self-promotional caca. Really - trite inspirational grafitti? Terry Gilliam was making fun of shit like that before De La Vega was born.
So we want to free this guy because we enjoy seeing his chalk drawings of men sucking on their own members? Come on. He's a vandal.
Mister, funny how subjective you are in your expression of free speech on Gothamist. Right below this post is a post on those protesting the MTA ban on photography.
Given the choice between seeing chalk drawing and a pile of shit on the street, the chalk drawing wins.
De La Vega is kind of corny. His slogans are the kind of thing that a 14 year old me would think of as 'deep'.
"De La Vega is kind of corny. His slogans are the kind of thing that a 14 year old me would think of as 'deep'."
And he should go to prison because of that! Huzzah!
He shouldn't go to prison for being corny. He should go to prison for breaking the law, if the law states that such actions are punishable by jail time. The case might be that this work we was arrested for was comissioned, but he's done enough uncommisioned street work to not deserve our pity or support. This isn't about free speech.
Those who do no scoop the poop should also suffer the consequences of their actions. What arguement is that?
"He shouldn't go to prison for being corny. He should go to prison for breaking the law, if the law states that such actions are punishable by jail time."
Please reread the post. Specifically when it points out that his arrest and sentencing were based on technical loopholes and that the owner of the property gave him permission to do his work.
This is not a free speech issue. This is an artist who was given permission, but arrested anyway getting fucked over by the system because of the fact that the owner of the property messed up in presenting his permission to the court.
-Please reread the post. Specifically when it points out that his arrest and sentencing were based on technical loopholes and that the owner of the property gave him permission to do his work.-
That's hearsay! If he truly got the permission then he should have never "plead guilty" in the first place. Sorry, he only has himself (and his council) to blame for his f'up --not the system. He knew that if he got caught again that there would be consequences...HE CHOSE TO DO IT ANYWAY.
-This is not a free speech issue. This is an artist who was given permission, but arrested anyway getting fucked over by the system because of the fact that the owner of the property messed up in presenting his permission to the court.-
Somebody hand him a tissue! sorry dude, when are ya ghetto-fools gonna start taking responsibility for your actions? the "system" would have worked (and IS working) in this case. He was offered "probation" AGAIN -- all he had to do is plead guilty to the "intent to do damage to property"! He chose to gamble and take it the trial with that corrupt Bronx jury system that EVEN let's hardened criminals get away with crimes just to spite the police.
Mr. De la Vega ONLY wanted to plead guilty to "intentionally making griffiti art" --whatever the fuck that means. In either case, the owner in Willis Ave. did not want it on his property and that is what counts in the end. De la Vega tried to get cute with the semantics game, now he will pay the price.
When I read statements like those above, It angers and saddens me all at the same time. We have become this consumer driven, police state that forbids artists to be able to express themselves. If there is any group of people in this entire world that should be allowed to have that freedom, it is artists.
An artists job, very much like DeLaVega, is to question and comment on his or her surroundings, thier background, thier country, politics, ethics, etc. That is the value of good art; to be able to question our world that normally doesnt allow for questioning.
If you do not see the relevance of what I say, go to a museum! Go see "Guernica" by Picasso. That one piece of artwork is worth a THOUSAND textbook essays about the Spanish civil war. Go see how artists for centuries have done the same things that DE LA VEGA is doing and you will see that it is wrong to prosecute an artist for his work..
We live in America; freedom of speech. Just imagine what our world would be like without it. Imagine living in a country that doesnt allow for that freedom. We should never take our 1st ammendment for granted; and we should be outraged when our government tries to take it from us.
I have found it to be an utter outrage how such few can come to appreciate art. Art is what enables us to say what's on our minds...be it by words or tape drawings on the concrete. Those who do not understand something always try to destroy it or impede its existence and that is what is happening now with De la Vega.
Picasso was ridiculed for his style. Not until his death did anyone really recognize the potential that had been bestowed on him. So why do it to De la Vega. This man is just trying to inspire us to look at life with a new perspective.
What ever happenend to stating what was on ones mind freely thats why they gave us the 1st amendment...didn't they? Now why give something that we really can't have. The "system" as was stated above should just try to find the animals (for any man that can kill an innocent being without any remorse is just that...an ANIMAL) that have been bombing our buildings and not the ones that are just trying to inspire some minds!
"Never allow this hostile world to interfere with the pursuit of your dreams." - DE LA VEGA".
Keep on provoking thought in those fortunate enough to come across your work De la Vega for if you do, you will have never let down your duty as an artist.
I have found it to be an utter outrage how such few can come to appreciate art. Art is what enables us to say what's on our minds...be it by words or tape drawings on the concrete. Those who do not understand something always try to destroy it or impede its existence and that is what is happening now with De la Vega.
Picasso was ridiculed for his style. Not until his death did anyone really recognize the potential that had been bestowed on him. So why do it to De la Vega. This man is just trying to inspire us to look at life with a new perspective.
What ever happenend to stating what was on ones mind freely thats why they gave us the 1st amendment...didn't they? Now why give something that we really can't have. The "system" as was stated above should just try to find the animals (for any man that can kill an innocent being without any remorse is just that...an ANIMAL) that have been bombing our buildings and not the ones that are just trying to inspire some minds!
"Never allow this hostile world to interfere with the pursuit of your dreams." - DE LA VEGA".
Keep on provoking thought in those fortunate enough to come across your work De la Vega for if you do, you will have never let down your duty as an artist.
Some people might argue that what Picasso painted could have been painted by a 14 year old. Art IS what it is and when it's simple it's message comes across more easily to a larger denomination. I totally support De La Vega. The courts and police should concentrate on catching and convicting murderers, rapists and child molesters, etc... which this city has no shortage rather than waste their time and our money going after people who try to beautify this city and bring a smile to people's faces.
What's all the Fuss About James de la Vega?
Visit: http://www.virtualboricua.org/Docs/de_la_vega8.htm and find out!
What's all the Fuss About James de la Vega?
Visit: http://www.virtualboricua.org/Docs/de_la_vega8.htm or http://www.freedelavega.com/ and find out!
James did not do this in East Harlem where he acquired a special niche and where, he could argue, he has tacit community approval to paint whatever he likes on walls or streets...He did this in the Bronx where he has no such relationships and where the community gave no such approval. The fact that the rally in his support had to happen on the block where his store is instead of in the community effected.
Those who believe de la Vega didn't know he couldn't - or thought he had permission - etc...flies in the face of the fact that he has had very close relationships with one particular landlord, who was known for being a stickler for details like - permission, owner's rights, etc...
He knew what was up and he did it anyway...as he seems to do a lot of things...with arrogance and disregard for anything that belongs to others. God forbid you were to go into his store and express yourself artistically on his gate...
Regarding Mister's comment about "chalk drawings of men sucking on their own members" -- have you seen some art that I haven't? James knows friends of mine -- from what I've heard he's a devout religious Christian bordering on annoying zealot. In fact, Christianity is a main theme of his work. So, I'm a bit surprised -- have you actually seen his work, which I allow is entirely possible, or are you just ignorantly spouting off because you hate graffitti?
As for the other arguements here -- I love De la Vega's work. I'm hoping to buy one. But in this instance if he put something on someone's property that that someone did not want there, that's a criminal offense. It's a stupid, petty criminal offense, but an offense nonetheless.
ppl, ppl, ppl. What is vandalism? Vandalism is essentially the intent to damage. However, what De La Vega does when he writes on sidewalks and etc is use chalk and tape, nothing permanent. Its the equivalent of a little girl drawing flowers on the piece of pavement in front of her house, do you suggest that her parents be punished (her parents b/c shes a minor) because she drew in a non permanent substance on a sidewalk? If you do, then you're an idiot and know nothing of the law. But if you don't why should we charge De La Vega with any more than that girl or her parents? He's not doing anything wrong. He is drawing on the streets in something that will wash away in the rain, or even when people in resturaunts or stores throw out water and etc. It is NOT damaging anything. If he were drawing things on someone's building w/o their permission, THAT is vandalism... but i'm going with the above statement that it was comissioned... if it wasn't then he served his time already, now get over it...
First of all free De La Vega! For those who do not personally know De La Vega,all that negative talk some of you are doing is because of artist envy since you obviously have not gotten as much recognition from the latin community as De La Vega has, basically player hateing instead of being united as a community of artist & strong in their beliefs,if he would have lost the battle & won the war for all of the new artist to have the courage or the "balls" to believe in their art and to express it... because if they do not it would be a waste.and pity of a crime is that his last name didnt end with _ _ _ _ _witz. Peace De LA Vega. JB
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