Crime And Punishment?

By Rachel Schwerin
Last week, Revok was arrested by LAPD in LAX, on his way to Ireland.  The charge was failure to pay court ordered restitution to past victims of his street activities. His bail was set at an astronomical $320,000. According to blogger Logan Hicks, comparing Revok's bail to that of other detainees in Los Angeles right now, he could have "molested three young girls ($300,000 bail)" and then "threatened a man while wielding a machete ($20,000 bail)" for the same price. (Man charged with assaulting partially paralyzed grandmother in front of her two granddaughters Bail set at $100,00; Baby left in 115-degree car; father may face charges Bail set at $50,000)

“We take graffiti vandalism very seriously, said Lieutenant Vince Carter, Sheriff’s Metro Transit Services Bureau. “Criminal graffiti vandals who insist on damaging other people’s property are going to jail and need to pay to fix the damage they caused.” Revok has since been sentenced to 180 days in jail for violating his parole on a misdemeanor vandalism charge after he failed to repay restitution for damages. His work is currently on display at MoCA's "Art in the Streets," which is really pissing off the LAPD.

The Seventh Letter is selling "Free Revok" t-shirts with all of the proceeds going to Revok's legal defense fund.  Check them out on their site.

Art In The Streets In The Museum

By Rachel Schwerin
The opening of "Art in the Streets" at LA's Museum of Contemporary Art has spawned a rash of tagging in downtown Los Angeles. The museum says such 'anarchic' work was anticipated, and is being cleaned. Many critics argue that the museum's pledge to help with graffiti clean-up annihilates actual "art in the streets." A culture war between purist taggers and the aritsts supporting Jeffrey Deitch's museum show has led to an anti-Deitch, anti-authority campaign of pasters around L.A. depicting the Director of the museum in silly, embarrassing contexts.   (via Art News)

The LAPD is cracking down hard, hoping to not just fine but arrest any artist found attempting or associated with illegal work. According to a report in the L.A. Times, Space Invader was their first victim, detained in Los Angeles last Friday. The show has led to an all-out attack: the Los Angeles city attorney’s office has filed a lawsuit against Cristian "Smear" Gheorghiu and nine other artists associated with the MTA tagging crew, charging them with violating California’s unfair competition laws because they’re selling art works on the strength of their outlaw names and reputations. “They’ve obtained an unfair advantage because they gained fame and notoriety through criminal acts,” said Anne Tremblay, assistant city attorney. “This is unlawful competition."  (via Huffington Post)