November 28, 2006
"Worst of the Worst" Graffiti Tagger Map Caught
Score one for the Mayor's Anti-Graffiti Task Force: The NYPD arrested 34 year old Patrick McCormick, tag Map, yesterday. McCormick was on the NYPD's 50 "Worst of the Worst" graffiti vandals list. The thing is, McCormick was arrested after smashing the window of an A train in front of a police officer, who was behind him. It was on Saturday afternoon, near the Beach 98th Street stop in Rockaway. The police suspect that McCormick was trying to destroy a rival's tag, but the head of the transit bureau James Hall said, "He broke the window so we weren't able to determine that for sure."
Hall also revealed, "He's going around scratching up windows by his own admission. During interviews with detectives he said he's done 10 windows on the N train." Hmm, maybe like the one pictured below? Anyway, according to am new York, McCormick was found with "nine cans of spray paint, six grinding rocks for scratchitti, three indelible markers, two pairs of gloves and a wax stick in McCormick's knapsack."
Now, the NY Sun reported McCormick's police history which included a manslaughter conviction in 1989 for burning a homeless man (Hall said, "This particular guy has a history of violence in addition to his artistic endeavors. It's a good arrest. It's a really good grab."). We asked a graffiti expert about the arrest:
Gothamist: Did you see that writer map got busted for breaking a window on a train, and it turns out that he had previous arrests for graf, and... homicide!Egads. Maybe City Councilman Vallone should use that in his anti-graffiti speeches.Graf Expert: Thats old news. Did it go into detail of his homicide arrest?
From what I gather, he was bombing subway tunnels many years ago, and was assaulted and raped (yes raped) by a bum in the tunnels. So map came back with a can of gasoline and set the bum on fire and burned him alive. True story.
Top image is from Robots Will Kill (Map's tag is green with the squished M's) and the lower image is from The Streets are Saying Things
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34 years old and still doing this kind of shit?
Someone explain to me how this is art.
These losers have nothing else going for them in life. What is it about our society that breeds this kind of loser? Have you ever been to Sweden? The streets are so clean, you could eat off them. People actually care about their surroundings. Why can't we have that same respect for New York?
Art is subjective, so I won't go into that, but I will say that guys who "scratch" their uncreative tags onto train windows really bother me.
maybe this signals a seed change
I think this is prime example of where the punishment should fit the crime. People should be allowed into this guys home and spray paint all of his belongings and scratch their initials into his windows and TV set.
"I think this is prime example of where the punishment should fit the crime. People should be allowed into this guys home and spray paint all of his belongings and scratch their initials into his windows and TV set"
....and then set him on fire.
What's the wax stick for?
how on earth do you only get manslaughter for intentionally setting someone on fire?
I was wondering how the Gothamist graffiti apologists were going to spin this one, and I got my answer when I read that bullshit about him being "raped" by a homeless guy. Sorry, I have no sympathy for this asshole, even if he was "raped" (more likely he was "tagging" the guy's stuff and got his ass kicked) by a homeless guy.
Glad to see all the understanding here! And, Rodney, I'm so glad to know that you were THERE in 1989 and able to call bullshit on Map's story! Why weren't you at the trial? You could've kept this scourage off of the streets.
I for one, am glad to see someone stand up for the integrity of our concrete walls, advertisements, and subway windows. If I want to see "art," I'll watch some network TV, thank you very much.
Sweden may be graffiti free, but in Germany nearly every available surface has been tagged.
map is more of a psychopath than an artist.
Scourage?
sweden... right... and they're so cultured.
scourge
will....let's think about this. maybe he lit the guy's camp on fire and the guy died as a result. earth shattering i know
of course, gothamist also wrote this up in a somewhat misleading way, but hey
sweden has a really good graff scene actually. They also paid 605 of their income to the govt in taxes.
Some graffiti is art. Some is just vandalism. Accepting that it isn't all one or the other doesn't mean you're a big fan of those "dirty fucking hippies" ("this kind of loser") or a sell-out to the MAN ("If I want to see "art," I'll watch some network TV").
By the same token, both sides have to learn to evaluate the merits of the work, and the impact that the work has on society, generally, because it does impact shared public spaces.
That said, scratching initials into N train windows or destroying another person's tag is nothing more than vandalism. This guy isn't part of any graffiti scene. He's not contributing to the advancement of it as an art form. He's just out messing up shit and making other graffiti artists look bad.
Graffiti artists and sympathizers have to acknowledge that everyone that takes spray paint or a grinding rock to a wall or window is not somebody to defended. Foes of graffiti in all its forms have to acknowledge that there is a lot of graffiti of artistic merit, enriches our environment, and becomes a welcome part of many communities.
Well said MH. I wish we can just negotiate with taggers to leave the windows alone. All I want is to look out of the window and have a nice view of the city while the train passes over the bridge. That's it, not too much to ask, right?
You know, every once in awhile, I'll see a piece of graffiti and think, "Wow, that's a pretty impressive piece of work." But I don't think that I've ever had anything close to that reaction to "scratchiti". Its not artistic, creative, or the slightest bit original.
If graffiti is truly an art form, then tt would make more sense for NYC to designate spaces for graffiti artists to paint without legal consequences.
Montreal did it, and the areas are filled with some of the most beautiful modern artwork I've ever seen.
What's this about Montreal? Believe me, the city's got its share of crappy, crappy taggers. Even the commissioned graffiti murals just ghetto-ize places.
MurrayHillster-
Care to print your address on here?? so I can apply some artwork to the front of your home?
Thanks
Is that a threat or a promise..
Sorry I am going to stick up for MurrayHillster
Trashbags like yourself make the neighborhood feel like a scumbag arena..Grow up. Go to school. Do something with your life instead of destroying others property.
If you care so much about destruction art why don't you go to school and create a program about it..because nobody really gives a crap about your smushed "M" at the top of a building. It does not make me think or feel or want to create. It is VISUAL GARBAGE.
shmeegal,
You're completely missing the tone of the poster you're attacking. He was being sarcastic, saying if MurrayHillster likes graffiti so much, then he shouldn't mind if it was done to his home. He was not advocating graffiti.
Just be glad Jake Dobkin didn't post this story. It would have had a completely different tone, probably outrage at the harassment of "street artists."
I see what you did there "ArtistWithASprayCan". You're a very clever person. You're saying that because I didn't take an absolutist stance that all graffiti is despicable vandalism, you'd like to "tag" my "home." Nicely done.
Sarcasm is easy and fun.
While you're eating your self-congratulatory cookie for your "cleverness", why don't you go back and reread my comment and figure out why your comment was, in fact, idiotic.
Actually, that's too difficult. Since you're obviously clueless, I'll set you off in the right direction by highlighting the fact that I did not advocate providing graffiti artists unfettered access to private property.
Not to completely divert this beautiful discourse, but to the idiot to denigrated Sweden: it enjoys the highest ranking of all democracies on the planet.
We're not even top 10 - so save your self-congratulatory swagger. We have a lot of work to do collectively.
http://www.economist.com/media/pdf/DEMOCRACY_INDEX_2007_v3.pdf
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Graffiti bombing isnt really about "art"..its about fame and destruction.
Murals or pieces are what writers/people defend as art..the bombing is supposed to be a big F-YOU.
Back when trains were painted, people could appreciate the murals outside but the tags inside are what really turned them off..
the new trains on the N line already have some of the windows scratched.
are you stupid, sweden has many graffiti artist, and sweden is one of the pioneer places of european graffiti. have you ever been to stockholm??? or been on a subway in stockholm??? its bombed with graffiti, graffiti is art, and art has always been questioned, you may think sculptures are art but in the middle east its prohibited, graffiti is always going to have people speaking for and against it. and me speaking as a actaull graffiti artist from canada understand why the average person doesnt like it because they just dont understand it, if i wasnt painting the word zero all over trains buses and walls but portraits you would understand it as art, but its still just as illegal and is basicly the same thing.
Yep, zero has it right about Stockholm. I was there last year and there is a ton of graffiti. Both in the modern part of town and also in Gamlastan (the old city) with buildings dating back to the 1600s.
Dypole, why should the City capitulate to vandals? If the city designates areas for legalized vandalism then the city will have to up-keep it, and the police will have to patrol it and there will be an expectation, because the city has sanctioned it, that these vandals have a right to do what they do. If graffiti painters want to “do art” they can do it legally. I am sure there are many building owners that would give artists permission to beatify their walls, and that is fine. It is a private matter between private parties.
Murry – the impact of “the work on public spaces” is clear, higher crime rates. It is a documented proven fact that the amount of graffiti in an area is proportional to the levels of crime. Criminals see that the cops or community does not care enough to chase off graffiti vandals so it must mean that that is an area prime for crime, then it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. They is no place in the public arena for graffiti, regardless of how good some people find a particular persons work.
all you hateful bastards should keep your comments to your self, .none of you own any of the property that was so called "vandalized"(painted,etched) you know nothing of graffiti you are probably not even from newyork in fact your hate and ignorance is to blame for all the problems in society believe it or not!
you are all very brave talking shit on the net i only hope for your sake a police man by chance happens to be standing around if you were to pop that shit to mccormicks face. you greasy little worms you make me sick.
Trains are littered with graffiti. You might call it advertising. I see more crap written on the sides of buses, trains, walls, selling Viagra than I see real art. Keep on painting. I would much rather see a hand written/sprayed visual, than one that was paid for. This is a non violent crime that deserves less attention then you are giving it.
God damn this guy needs to learn how to tag I tag a lot and am very good at it and im only 14. And all of you right wingers graffiti is art.
fuk all of u map is a good guy u yuupies dont understand this shit
If this guy Pat "Map" McCormick was actually raped I completely understand why he would want revenge. As long as he only burned his attacker and the fire did not spread to any innocent people. He would have been less than 16 when that happened; being attacked and raped by a grown man would definitely have fucked his mind up.
I just hope he learns to chill out a bit and not direct his anger at those that don't deserve it.
On second thought, fuck Map. All graffiti vandals, every single one of them, should be raped and beaten. And then sent to Rikers where they should be raped and beaten every day. They are all a bunch of attention starved assholes. I've even had one very famous New York graffiti writer who I know very well tell me that graffiti writers are such fucking assholes.
Everyone who rides mass transit pays for graffiti vandalism.
Vandalized subway windows cost the MTA $150 to replace. We all end up paying for this shit. That's why the cost of metrocards keeps increasing. It looks like shit and it blocks the beautiful view when the train passes over a bridge.
I believe the broken window theory to be true. Graffiti just encourages all types of street crime.
All graffiti vandals should be caned like they do in Singapore
i write gaffiti. its fun. i like to see my name up, i like to express myself. i dont like when people dont except this.
all you people are gay dicklovers that can't mind their own buisness!!!!
you fucking people shouid get a life each and every single one of you fucking fagets!!!!
watch Downtown81, some of you yuppie scrubs might learn about something about art and nyc at the same time.