BREAKING: Alleged Splasher Faces 15 Years in the Clink

At around 11pm we got a text message from a friend at the Shepard Fairey opening in DUMBO, saying that the "Splasher got caught at the show tonight". So far the information we're hearing is that two guys attempted to set off a stink bomb at the show, but were stopped by security. It remains to be seen if the stink-bombers are the same guys who set off a stink bomb at the Faile show last week (and then called 911 reporting a gas leak, which got the show shut down), or if they were indeed the ones splashing streetart pieces all over town a few months back.

Wooster Collective was also at the scene, and has some details and a possible picture of one of the suspects:

Two young guys entered Shepard Fairey's opening night party at 81 Front Street in Dumbo with a backpack. Moments later they were seen attempting to light a homemade stink and smoke bomb that was hidden in a coffee can. As they were setting it off, two guys nearby saw what was happening and managed to stop the guys from igniting it before it went off. Seeing the scuffle, the security guys hired for the evening caught one of the two guys (shown above) while the other was able to get away.
So as we write this the police are now detaining the guy as they figure out what, if any, charges to file.

So why might this be connected to the Splasher?

For the last few weeks speculation has been circulating amongst the art community here that is was the Splasher who lit off a similar stink and smoke bomb at the Faile show a few weeks back in Nolita. Going beyond it just being a practical joke, the guy who lit the smoke bomb then called the police informing them that there was a gas leak in the building. Minutes later fire engines arrived and the show was cleared out.

One thing seems clear - there are two motivations that have been driving the Splasher. Attention and a jealous desire to sabotage and ruin the work of well known artists who have gained a certain amount of notoriety. It then makes sense that after gaining a ton of press over the last few weeks, that the Splasher would try to take things to another level by not only ruining the artwork on the streets of people like Faile and Shepard, but by getting even more attention for ruining their gallery shows as well. Since it would be all too obvious to walk into an art show and throw paint on the wall, why not then attempt to close down the show by causing a panic?

We'll add detail tomorrow, once we find out what the hell is going on-- if you were at the show, tell us what happened in the comments. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: some questions we'll need answered before we'll believe the identification:
1. Is the kid in the photo the mysterious "Zac" referenced in the NY Magazine piece?
2. Are either of the suspects known to anyone in the streetart scene?
3. Were either of them seen at the Faile show last week?

UPDATE: here's a picture of Shepard at the show-- if you missed the opening, we've put pix of all the pieces up on Streetsy.

UPDATE: a few comments of note-- the first is from our friend who was at the show:

eyewitnesses say that he was the same guy as at faile withthe stinkbombs and the same guy as at the bma. the guy ny mag identified as swoon's old assistant. judith supine has an eye witness account of the details as does wooster apparently.

Here's another that sums up a lot of the email we're getting:

I was at the opening last night, and while I can't say whether or not those two people were collectively 'The Splasher', I can say what they were doing was extremely dangerous. The show was absolutely packed (I was told there were 3500 people on the guest list)., and it could have really turned into a stampede situation where people got hurt had they succeded.

And we spoke to Marc at Wooster Collective-- he said the photo of the alleged Stinkbomber was sent in by someone at the show who feels that there is a big difference between splashing some work on the streets and setting off a smokebomb in a crowded gallery. The reason Marc put up the picture is to encourage people to come forward and identify these kids, and thereby discourage them from pulling these stunts before they cause a situation where people get hurt.

Still no word on whether these guys are The Splasher, however.

UPDATE: Sam scanned the front and back of the ObeyBucks that Shepard has been leaving around town.

UPDATE: Juliana Bunim at the Brooklyn Paper is reporting that the captured Splasher suspect has been charged with reckless endangerment and attempted arson, which carries up to 15 years in prison as a penalty. Apparently the DJ was responsible for detaining the kid before he lit his smoke bomb:

DJ scratches ‘bomber’: Keen-eyed spinner may have caught ‘Splasher’ By Juliana Bunim for The Brooklyn Paper
A quick-acting disc jockey saved the day — and quite possibly helped catch the art world’s elusive Splasher — at Thursday night’s glitzy opening to graffiti legend Shepard Fairey’s DUMBO installation after one of the guests attempted to light a flammable device amidst a crowd of 500 street-art lovers.

DJ 10 Fingers first spotted the would-be “art critic” as he prepared to ignite what cops called a “flammable device” towards the end of the opening of Fairey’s “E Pluribus Venom” show at 81 Front St. at around 11 pm. A witness said the quick-acting disc jockey subdued the man just in time.

A half-hour later, the bomb squad rushed to the scene to “investigate some sort of flammable device,” and arrested the alleged would-be bomber, said an NYPD spokesperson.

The suspect, whom police said was from Bushwick, was charged with reckless endangerment and attempted arson, which carries a maximum of 15 years in jail.

Few noticed the attempted ignition — and 10 Fingers’ subsequent intervention — but the opening night celebration ended shortly thereafter.

Security “immediately swept the entire room to make sure there weren’t more devices,” said event coordinator Michael Petrovich. “We went into shut-down mode, trying to get everyone out in an orderly fashion. Luckily, not too many people realized what was going on.”

Petrovich said there was a second suspect who fled the scene, but police would not confirm that claim. The incident has left many in the art world wondering, could this be
the famous Splasher — a shadowy figure who has made headlines (in some circles) by vandalizing outdoors works by established graffiti artists.

Nobody knows his (or her) identity, but at a street artist gallery opening earlier this month in Manhattan, a critic set off a “stink bomb” — and many believe it was the Splasher.

Fairey wouldn’t talk about the Thursday night incident, but in an earlier interview with The Brooklyn Paper, he made it clear that he disapproves of the Splasher’s approach: “If you want to critique the absorption of the street art world into the bourgeois system, then say it in a way that’s not just totally destructive and really meaningless. The Splasher is just destroying and not making any contribution. And he’s selective about splashing only people who do some of the best work because they’re the ones who end up succeeding commercially.” (For the full interview, see here).

As of Friday, however, it was unclear whether the attempted bombing of Fairey’s opening was indeed the work of the Splasher.

But then again, how would anyone know?

“This is not a situation where someone is going to come out and say they’re the Splasher,” Petrovich said. “These individuals are either stupid or they just have some sort of jealousy.”

Anyone heard anything else?

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jake Dobkin in Arts & Entertainment on June 22, 2007 10:23 PM

Comments [rss]

guest

me encantan estos splashers.....necesitamos unos asi en barranquilla........

guest

1. seems like "hipster" is some kind of generic shorthand for "people we hate." kinda like "p.c." in conservative radio, it loses its meaning. so who is a hipster? i am guessing that i am because i am a (*)gay (*)white (*)male with a (*)college degree, some (*)economic security, i (*)live in an urban environment, i like contemporary (*)art and (*)culture. what about the fact that i sometimes (*)listen to npr? or, worse yet, i sometimes have friends over for (*)brunch. i (*)read the (*)nytimes (online). i (*)post on gothamist.

2. i swoon for swoon. that girl is just plain goodness.

3. "graffiti" writers dislike of "street" art is partly macho posturing. graphic characters are girly, perhaps? seems like the "graffiti" writers have some envy, insecurity, and a turf battle invested in their anger.

4. the "splasher" is evil for mixing glass into the paste to hurt people who would pull down the manifesto. the "splasher" needs an editor; that shit is confusing and boring. the "splasher" is a hypocrite - focusing on street art and ignoring the more pervasive and destructive corporate advertising (and corporations); focusing on the street artists but ignoring other people who are treated like fucking "rock stars."

5. wooster is not merely a guide to ny street art. those kids are international in focus and readership (it's a world wide web). they have favorites; biases; they are not a "collective"; they like some corporate advertising; blah blah blah. and, they're fucking great. they connected an international street art community. it is beautiful to watch this global community evolve, artists responding to other artists, new talent emerging, new methods employed.

6. street artists are doing it for themselves. a small number have figured out how to support themselves with screen prints, t-shirts, zines, art shows, graphic design and other shit. some engage in community projects, protests, seek alternatives to the current american-capitalist hegemony. a small number has found some art world success with gallery shows and "fine art" prices for their work. to the horror of some of the "establishment" in the "pretentious" contemporary art world, some street artists are even finding their way into museum shows and, likely, art history books.

7. all the hate here is misplaced. spend that energy helping people, other creatures, the planet, something. there are a huge number of sick fucks doing a lot of bad shit. graffiti and street art are not the problem. hate is not the solution.

8. i found enough of the comments here interesting enough to keep reading, and to respond.

reznyce

I'm glad there are folks out there who see right through "Shep" and his "art." Mr. Fairey profits from people's misery. Assholes like him have co-opted dissent. Throughout history, revolutionaries have used public space to voice discontent. They did not and do not do it for money or fancy parties in "Dumbo." They don't make limited edition prints to be hung in New York City lofts. Shepard is a douche-bag. He's full of shit. If he REALLY supports free expression, he should pay for the poor kid's legal fees.

guest

For the record he's charged with 3rd degree attempted arson, which, I'm not sure exactly, has a much less maximum sentence. 1st degree being the worst.

guest

I know that kid in the pink shirt, hes Jimmy Cooper, hes not a street artist, hes an aspiring writer, and a bit of a nut job. Hes not a bad guy, just kind of impulsive. I would doubt if hes actually the splasher, I could seem him getting himself mixed up in something dumb like this. 15 years is pretty harsh, especially considering no one got hurt. The whole thing is blown out of proportion.

guest

Wow, this is just like RAMO and Spit. Its the REAL Beat Street peeps, without all the style.

guest

Boo fucking hoo is all I have to say to this.

So you put up a stencil/tag/painting on a wall. Guess what geniuses? The shit is temporary, like everything else in life. If it rained and it washed away your stupid bullshit would you still be crying, shaking your fist at the sky saying "I can't wait till I find you, weather system!"

I'm glad this kid is splashing assholes like Fairley and Banksy, these pretentious cocksuckers. Make money and shit man, that's fine but don't sit here and try and act like these items are so "street" and this splasher kid doesn't know what its about. Apparently he knows how to push your buttons.

As for Wooster, most definitely fuck those 2. That website does nothing but play favorites, and seeing as I don't know either of the 2 people who run it and can only see what they post, I sure as hell don't need them as my "guides" to the NY street art scene.

Keep going splasher - splash away. Make these idiots when you do street art, it may not last a day...

guest

Lets just face the facts; the splasher is a no talent, fairey is a photoshop wizard, levine is similar to a profiteer circus ringmaster, and you are the pawn paying attention.

Thousands of street artists with heart are overlooked in favor of repetition and familiarity. I see it as all as i do TV, each artist being a different channel. I can't get caught up on one of them, or would even consider paying them.

The loser=hipster movement will eventually just consume, then purge, moving onto something else. The profiteers will have moved on. This will all be in the art history books. Look to the future people. The splasher isn't that. He's just a participant in the eventual culmination of the street art movement. The movement will eventually die. Not entirely, just as all subcultures exist in rare, nerdly pockets.

Whats sad is that there is hundreds of overlooked artists in favor of a handful, and thousands more that choose to consume rather than participate in the movement. People have went to lengths just to pay to be part of it, instead of actually living it. It's already in the process... anyone can be a street artists. The bubble will pop, and all that will remain are those nerds who are so addicted they cant stop.

guest

Fairey, Faile and Swoon are all mainstream "street artists" for the cool hipster community.

Splash these guys back to the screen printing....

guest

Shepard Fairey's wannabe "street art" sucks and belongs on mainstream t-shirts.

Hipster = Loser

guest

the splasher is a "collective" that includes jackson pollock as it's most vocal member.

get a life.

guest

who the fuck cares about the splasher or this harry potter looking douchetard

guest

im waiting for a punch to be thrown, but i wont be holding my breath.

MFdobbs

Aye. The 'splash' is definitely art in its own right.

guest

this is already too long but heres my two cents.

this is stupid.

he got caught its his problem. hes not a terrorist. hes an artist. the terrorists are the government. the people in control.

splashiing paint is art.

torturing people can be an art also. look at guantanamo.

shepard fairy makes nice work. but that just my opinion. and no one gets to say that his work s better or worse than anything else. just because the moma says it, its not true. just because he sold this for this much does not make it not true. to believe these values is to believe the lie that shepard fairy and most other politically oriented street artists are trying to discredit (i beleive): capitalism, heirarchy, authority.

www.dustinspagnola.com

journeaux

SHEPHERD FAIREY is the stink bomb

And the Splasher is what Fairey was. Pretty soon, you'll be able to pick up a splasher sticker pack(maybe for inside your apt too) instead of OBEY. My vote is with Guest #59, Lindsay #67 and everyone else who thinks that Fairey's work looks great but sucks sucks sucks. So who's going to make the sticker pack? Get me 2! Utah, 2.

guest

The Splasher is obviously a skinny white male turd who went to an art school who has limited or no skills. Frustrated and jealous because no one recognizes his greatness besiders his mom. Hey Splasher, lets see some art! Where can we see your work, a gallery, website, postcard. Come on, you must have have something interesting to share with the public beyond your decision to inhibit other people's freedom of expression. If you feel street art is a diluted co-opting of a former real urban expression, then lead the way to a new form. Does NYC need your decision to limit expression because: you dont like the art/you dont think it is art/it is illegal. Who appointed you as the arbiter of what should be in the public eye.

guest

oh shit, that splasher dude TOTALLY hit on me at a show at bowery ballroom a few weeks ago!

OH HELL NAW.

guest

What's the opposite of hipster - loser? I love the way people who weren't even born yet when Shepard started bombing are now trying to tell him what 'street' is.

Street is nothing more than where you live when you haven't had any success. When nobody is feeling you, turn green, give them a lable like hipster, and pretend there is something hardcore about your disregarded ephemera. It should make feel better at least for a little while. That is, until the next admired creation reminds you of your mediocrity.

-cybernigel

guest

splasher or no, charging into an exhibition with the intent of sabotage does nothing good for the community.

love shephard or not, feel like he's a sell-out or not, the hate and disregard for the reprocussions of setting off any sort of explosive devise is simply not acceptable.

15 years maybe a bit excessive yeah, but come on guys.

art is meant to be discussed, debated, questioned and questioned again. not destroyed or defaced. destroy the things you disagree with and who have you become? burn some books while you're at it.

grow up and have your debate out in the open if you really have something to say, rather than hiding behind a splash of paint.

-jen