Some interesting vigilante justice happened in NYC over the weekend - the "New York Street Advertising Takeover" project happened over the weekend, with 120 illegal billboards in and around NYC being white-washed and then painted over by about 80 different artists. Only billboards (apparently mostly all from one agency) that weren't registered with the city were targeted.
According to Cronicas Barbaras, who spoke to the organizer of NYSAT "NPA outdoor operates over 500 street level billboards in NYC ranging in size from about 4'x4' to 50'x12'. All of these advertising structures are illegal. I found this out by talking to the NYC Department of Buildings which has no permits for the NPA outdoor structures but has its hands full dealing with the rampant illegal billboard situation. I have also spoken directly with NPA outdoor employees who have told me that the NYPD will jail them from time to time at which point NPA lawyers bail them out and they are compensated 500 dollars for the nuisance of spending the night in jail."
If you have any photos, feel free to send them over! It seems a Flickr group has been started here.
Via the Wooster Collective. Photos via the Wooster Collective and Cronicas Barbaras.
Wait, so let me get this straight, it's a collaboration between The Man and The Graffiti Artist to bring down The Illegal Advertiser?
ReplyDeleteMind = blown.
Thanks for this best post.......
ReplyDeleteWhoa. That's quite a crackdown. Great work on the part of the artists, though.. The design in those illustrations is remarkable!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that vigilante justice is still alive and well.