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rfmcdonaldAfter I made my post on the unjustly removed mural this morning, I realized my non-Torontonian readers had no idea what I was taking about.
In April of this year, Toronto mayor Rob Ford announced to the press, even as he himself powerwashed a graffiti-covered wall, the Clean Toronto Together program and its campaign against graffiti. This started the predictable dispute over what, exactly, is art.
The crackdown had actually begun--as described by blogTO's Derek Flack--back in March. Many complaints from the business community were reported there, many complaniing about the cost of cleanup, easily amounting to the thousands of dollars all costed to the business owners, the nominal victims. Others disliked the lack of fine distinction between between tagging and graffiti. Still others--a demographic I've little sympathy for--complain that the campaign against graffiti impinges on their right to free artistic expression, even as they ignore the desire of some property owners not to have graffiti painted on their property. (You can find them in the comment sections of blogs, mainly.)
In April of this year, Toronto mayor Rob Ford announced to the press, even as he himself powerwashed a graffiti-covered wall, the Clean Toronto Together program and its campaign against graffiti. This started the predictable dispute over what, exactly, is art.
It's been sprayed on many walls in the GTA, and Mayor Rob Ford said he wants it gone as he launched a campaign Thursday to clean graffiti off the city's walls.
He asked private business owners and city-run agencies to join his Clean Toronto Together campaign.
Zion, who goes by one name, owns the Bombshelter, an art-supply store that is a hub for graffiti artists. He said Thursday the mayor needs to understand the difference between art and vandalism.
"Every time you have someone buffing their wall like this, that's just going to attract the throw-up artists and vandals, and it becomes a cat-and-mouse game," he said.
He was referring to the mayor's efforts Thursday to clean a wall on an alley near St. Clair Avenue West and Earlscourt Ave., with some help from Coun. Cesar Palacio.
"We can either give up on our laneways, or simply we can start cleaning it up and take action," Palacio said.
"[They should] allow us to do murals," Zion said.
The crackdown had actually begun--as described by blogTO's Derek Flack--back in March. Many complaints from the business community were reported there, many complaniing about the cost of cleanup, easily amounting to the thousands of dollars all costed to the business owners, the nominal victims. Others disliked the lack of fine distinction between between tagging and graffiti. Still others--a demographic I've little sympathy for--complain that the campaign against graffiti impinges on their right to free artistic expression, even as they ignore the desire of some property owners not to have graffiti painted on their property. (You can find them in the comment sections of blogs, mainly.)
