Marilyn Terzi
10/20/16
A cool thing about street art is that many times, even if you aren’t looking for it, you notice it- whether consciously or unconsciously. I got a glimpse of this idea when I received this assignment and I began my search around Brooklyn for a piece of public art to post. My search didn’t last very long, because as soon as I reached the corner after my house, I saw it. The small, carefully spray painted Abraham Lincoln on a street light pole on kings highway. I knew that hadn’t been the first time I’d seen that piece of art, especially because as I walked down Kings Highway to Ocean Parkway, I noticed more and more Abe Lincoln heads stenciled across various surfaces. I had and still have absolutely no idea what the purpose is behind the art, however after noticing at least 5 of these identical Lincoln heads, I knew I had to do some research.
The artist of the graffiti across Brooklyn is known as Art Is Not A Crime, or AINAC. He was actually supposedly arrested in 2014 when the police discovered stencils and spray paint in his car, however all charges were dropped. Ironically, a year later AINAC’s work was featured in an art show on 4th street. I don’t know if AINAC continues to paint new Abe Lincoln’s in New York, or if I just keep noticing new ones as I look around, but either way they are still around and definitely still thought provoking.
I think it’s really cool that no one really understands the full story behind most street art, and I think that leaves a lot of it open for interpretation and debate. AINAC and his work with Abe Lincoln in New York is no exception.
