|
|
 |
| |
‘We are not vandals, we are artists’
Graffiti crew attack ‘art snobs’
A GROUP of graffiti artists have accused the Town Hall’s environment chief Conservative councillor Mike Greene of being anti-art and say: “We are not vandals.”
The group, known as London Frontline and who use five-foot high cartoon faces of monkeys and other animals, were attacked last week by the Hampstead councillor for painting their images on the roof of a Highgate Road petrol station.
Cllr Greene claimed the art – which was done with the permission of the garage owner – would lead to more graffiti and cost the Town Hall thousands to clean up.
But the artists say their works are an important statement about life in Kentish Town.
The garage owner, Andy Joanides, had asked the six-strong team to use his walls as a canvas after spending years whitewashing graffiti and badgering the Town Hall and police to take action. Mr Joanides says the new graffiti discourages scruffy ‘taglines’ and brighten up his workplace.
Two of the artists, who go by their monikers Mr P and Mighty Mo (pictured above) say their work dissuades graffiti by showing young people how public art can be a force for the good.
Mr P said: “Simply cleaning up graffiti is not really a sensible policy. You need consider what young people do with their time.”
He added that businesses who embrace their work never have a problem with other graffiti. Mr P said: “No one ever goes over our stuff, and we always ask the shop owners first”
They added that they felt there was a snobbishness about their works. Mighty Mo said: “It is a fear of the spray can. If we were using brushes people would not care.
“I’d like to ask Cllr Greene what he would like? If it was a copy of a Lichtenstein or Picasso, would there be such fuss?
“Good street art means an vibrant culture in the area – and we are contributing to the good of Kentish Town by making it an interesting place to live.”
“What causes vandalism and delinquency is not giving youth centres the resources they need, not our work.”
Both say they have serious aspiration towards earning a living in art and graphic design. The pair grew up in Kentish Town and went to Acland Burghley school where they were taught by renowned art teacher Joe Kusner, who received an MBE for working with young people.
Mr P said: “He was the best art teacher I ever had – he was always inspiring and we had our own wall at the school to work on. If we can show what good public art can look like, maybe young people who were going out to do graffiti might think again and instead try to create public art of their own.”
But Cllr Greene argued: “It is an interesting discussion. It may be beautiful to some people, but it damages the perceptions of the places around it. There may be a time or place for it, but it has to be managed properly.”
|
 |
| |
|
|
|
