http://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/breaking-5-pointz-was-painted-white-overnight
It’s sad that all that art was completely disregarded. A landmark simply erased overnight. I guess what Muriel posted is actually coming true. 🙁
The Arts in New York City
Professor Judell / MHC @ CCNY / Fall 2013
The following link provides further information on what happened:
http://nypost.com/2013/11/19/5-pointz-graffiti-erased-in-overnight-paint-job/
I can’t believe this was allowed to happen! That building was a canvas for over 1,500 art pieces by over 300 artists and now it’s just an ordinary white edifice. Wolkoff, the man behind the paint, reasoned that he was being considerate in painting it before tearing it down because “[to] watch the [art] pieces go down piece by piece by piece would be torturous. In New York, you can’t implode a building. So let me just go in and paint it in one morning, and it’s over with.” I understand the need for apartment space, but why take down one of the most iconic sights for New Yorkers? Apparently he had tears in his eyes while it was being painted. Are you sure those weren’t tears of happiness for the profit you’re going to make from this space? Wolkoff also made sure to have it painted in the wee hours of the morning (from 1 to 7 am) in order to keep it hidden from the public until it was too late. There’s no doubt he’ll will be hated by all New Yorkers, especially those who take the 7 train daily. It just won’t be the same.
Is this action an example of “soulless capitalism” or “urban renewal”? Should Wolkoff be praised for allowing the building to be a landmark artwork for all of these years? Or should he be condemned for his cowardly early morning defacement of so many artists’ output?
As Banksy notes: “Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don’t come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make someone smile while they’re having a piss.”