"" Let me be clear: Graffiti, and more specifically tagging, are a major nuisance for private-property holders. The front of our landmark building at Moishes on St. Laurent is frequently the target of vandals. To maintain the integrity of our business and the street we're proud to be a part of, we pay a private company to regularly pressure-spray our building clean. We - and I'm sure anyone who owns property in this city - could do without the extra expense and inconvenience.
And yet sometimes street art really is street art. The police once arrested a graffiti artist who had tagged Moishes. Because he was destitute and couldn't pay for the repairs, we made him an offer: we would drop the criminal charges if he actually created a meaningful work of art, based on our family history and on the history of the community that grew up around Moishes on St. Laurent. He created the mural on our back wall, facing St. Dominique St.
It's a great, truly evocative piece of work. We notice passersby photographing it all the time. In fact, we had it photographed ourselves, and have hung the pictures in the interior of the restaurant because we think it pays tribute to our roots in a fresh and interesting way.
Perhaps there's a key to solving this problem in our little story. Had the graffitist in question actually approached us before vandalizing our property, we might have been open to him expressing himself in a way that suited us both. Instead of treating privateproperty owners with contempt, why not engage us and involve us in the process? Isn't that what art is ultimately about - community?
As long as you're scurrying around undercover and treating others with contempt, you're just a punk with a spray can.
Leonard Lighter
Montreal
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/community+approach+graffiti/5492010/story.html#ixzz1Zj4x0TpO
