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Some more details about the stink bomb incident at the Shepard Fairey show Thursday night. Twenty-four-year-old Alan Cooper of Bushwick was arrested for attempted arson, after he tried to set off a stink bomb in a DUMBO gallery. Cooper was acting with an accomplice, who got away. From the Daily News:
Cops later led Cooper away in cuffs, but not before the artist, Shepard Fairey, confronted him.Cooper, who works at an East Village restaurant, was also charged with reckless endangerment; his accomplice has not been caught. Police say that one of the two was carrying a book bag, which makes us wonder if gallery shows will need metal detectors, bag checks, and cavity searches in the near future. What's not clear is whether Cooper and/or his accomplice is The Splasher."I put a lot of time and energy into this," Fairey told Cooper. "What's your problem?"
The bespectacled Cooper, wearing khaki shorts and a long-sleeved pink shirt, put the blame on his friend.
"I was with him, but I didn't know he was going to do it," Cooper said, according to the artist.
Fairey told the Post, "This is serious. I've been arrested for doing street art. I knew I would be held accountable for my actions, and he should have considered that jail may be a possibility." He added that he believed he was targeted "Because I've moved beyond just doing street art, some have the idea that I've been corrupted. I've been able to have an art career and a design career, yet I continue to do street art and therefore I should be punished."
Yesterday's reports said that Cooper could face up to 15 years, which sounds like a lot for a stink bomb. Read our extensive thread about the incident here.
An advisory notice about admission to tonight's show, including warnings about long lines and advice on showing up early that we received from the organizers is reprinted below.
Hello Everyone,Due to the incident that happened on Thursday night at the opening
reception in DUMBO, Brooklyn, the NYPD is asking that we implement a
few changes for tonight's opening.Bags and backpacks will be searched by security before entering the
building. Please don't bring any spray paint, markers, or anything
that could be flammable.Security will be letting people in a few at a time to avoid
over-crowding in the gallery and elevators.Because of these changes we anticipate that there will be a line
outside of the building to get in. We encourage you to arrive as close
to the 5pm starting time as possible to avoid a long wait. We have
increased the opening hours to try to accomodate everyone.Please be patient with our staff and security tonight. We are working
very hard to create a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone.E Pluribus Venom new works by Shepard Fairey and Space Cadets new
works by Souther Salazar will be on view until July 21st.Shepard Fairey's exhibition in DUMBO, Brooklyn will be on view until
July 7th.Please visit our website for more information.
Cheers,
Jonathan LeVine
UPDATE: the World's Best Ever blog sent in a shot they caught of the alleged stinkbomber before he entered the gallery. Who's that guy to his right? Anyone else catch a picture?
Photograph of the Shepard Fairey opening by f.trainer on Flickr
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15 years sounds completely appropriate to me. Setting off a panic-inducing device in a crowded venue is so completely reprehensible, only a teenager would attempt it. Nine people were killed at City College in 1992 when a crowd tried to rush through an obstructed exit/entryway. Splashing paint is one thing; this is a crime of a different color altogether.
I'm just in stitches reading this stuff. I can't be the only one laughing my ass off. This is some serious overly-serious self obsessed hipster on overly-serious self obsessed hipster action. 15 years? Rapists get off in 4-6 years typically. A smoke bomb is so much worse than a woman getting violated.
I was there and saw the whole thing happen. Guest, I don't think you have any idea what you are talking about. It's not about hipster this or hipster that. Lighting an incendary device in a crowded event is an extremely dangerous and stupid thing to do. It wasn't just your run of the mill high school stink bomb. The thing was made out of a coffee can and had some low-level explosives in it. There were over 600 people in the space. If it had gone off there would have been a serious panic and or stampede. There were little children there. Leave the hipster-hating crap out of it. It was dangerous no matter what kind of clothes the guests were wearing.
Indendiary device????? what, what whaaaaa?
Low level explosives from New Jersey where all bad guys get their C-4?
I doubt hipsters would stampede for anything. Isn't the main MO for being a hipster is to be a a-hole, being aloof, blase.
and, please, no more metal detectors. I can't believe I've actually read that.
Wait? Didn't the article say that there already had been a smoke bomb like this that went off at another show? And nobody got trampled there? The damn thing didn't light this time, how do you know there was "low-level explosives" in that coffee can? It could have just been French Roast.
Get over yourselves.
Whats with all these "hipster" comments on this blog? Calling someone a hipster and meaning it in a degrading and sarcastic manner sooo tranparently reaveals that you think you are hipper than they are. What the hell is a hipster to you anyway? Someone who doesn't work in an office? Or maybe its supposed to be someone who has illusions about themselves. Take a good look in the mirror. Sarcasm and putdowns about other people's life styles is not only ingnorant and boring, it betrays a sense of self-loathing. Psy 101. Hello.
[6] probably doesn't see the irony in his own comment.
#7
Oh yeah? and what irony is that?
THE THING WAS LIT!!! The only reason the thing didn't go off was because one of the guys DJing saw them trying to light it and stamped it out. This guy also put it in the back close to where Shepard and his family and friends were. There were about 5 or 6 infants and small children playing on the floor not more than 5 feet from where they tried to light it. You people are so completely focused on this hipster bullshit that you can't see what really could have happened.
"THE THING WAS LIT!!!"
I light things off every 4th of July myself.
Sparklers.
Oh no, WATCH OUT!
The whole "hipster" thing is overdone and old. It's like some grizzled grampa going, "Those dang hippies! Those greasers! Those punks!" Are we still complaining about Yuppies? All this labeling is very dorky.
It was an art show and this kid was trying to ruin it. He shouldn't get the chair, but he should be punished, no?
I don't know about you, but if I saw a guy in a crowd lighting a fuse that led into a coffee can, especially in NYC, I would bug the fuck out.
Word to the muther fucking A.
I second that (#11). It really is an act of terrorism, no matter how low level they might have intended it to be. It's odd how many people are trying to excuse their actions just because it was happening at a certain kind of event with a certain kind of people in it. Who the fuck are hipsters? Why should it make a difference? And more importantly, why do you care about them so much if you disdain them so?
That being said, 15 years does sound like a bit much.
Elan
give him some hours of comm. service cleaning paint and some probation and call it a fucking day. Dont crucify this guys for having a few chips on his shoulder and wanting to act out. Be glad no one got hurt and that he was apprehended. Maybe next time if you're at a gallery/deli/train or any other place thats congested and someone tries to light something or detonate anything i suggest all you gym members flex some testicles and throw a punch or something. ***my 2 pennies***
Maybe in 10 years, the stinkbomb guy will have his own financed gallery show.