GRL Founder Detained in Beijing

Reports are coming in that NYC street artist and Graffiti Research Lab founder, James Powderly, has been detained in Beijing for planning a pro-Tibet protest via a L.A.S.E.R. Stencil art piece. When Boing Boing reported the news at nearly 8 this morning, he had been held for around 19 hours already. They were tipped off by Students for a Free Tibet, who learned of it via a Twitter message that read "held since 3am." There's no further word about the status of this situation, and Beijing officials have yet to acknowledge he's being held.

There is plenty of information on what led to the art project Powderly has allegedly been detained for, however. Boing Boing points to a statement that reads, in part: "James is proud to have been kicked out of the Synthetic Times new media art exhibition in Beijing because he wouldn’t censor his little art project. It was after being kicked to the curb by the show’s curator that James connected with Students for a Free Tibet and decided he would go to China anyway and do what he though was right in support of Tibet, Taiwan, free speech and the people of China."

According to his colleague, Nathan Dorjee, the plan was to "project a message that said, `Free Tibet,' and some other messages that would have been three-stories high in different locations in Beijing." The Students for a Free Tibet have more on the backstory, and say "his current whereabouts remain unknown."

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

By Jen Carlson in Arts and Events on August 19, 2008 3:34 PM

Comments [rss]

nervouspervis

James Powderly has never and probably would never tackle an issue of any tangible social gravity in the town he calls home. But, an issue that already enjoys plenty of media coverage and is the worldwide media's huge, garish asterisk on China's first Olympiad is somehow an important event that he has to laser-tag half of Beijing over? And I'm supposed to believe it's borne out of altruism and compassion? Powderly is a coward; taking the fight far away from home, and trying to stir up a media crap-storm with his company logo attached. Why feel sorry for him? He was asking for this, and China delivered.

Snoopy

Expel him before or after Chinese water torture?

NannyState

The real Tibet Liberationists in China are people this man would never meet, could never meet, and shouldn't ever meet. They are dogged continuously by the PLA and most are rotting in prisons. So for this media whore to pimp his own cred at the expense of these prisoners is beyond belief. The chinese authorities should merely expel him and invite him never to return.

9monster

He is smart using Tibetan to advertise his company without paying a dime. I guarantee that he not even know where is the Tibet.

skbk

Yeah, he should have just protested an issue by leaving comments on Gothamist like a normal person.

the3rdbridge

It's amazing that you all think this man is stupid for attempting free expression in China. I think he is a hero.

Snoopy

It's just amazing how stupid people are, they think the world functions just like we do and everybody is open and wants to hear their views.

I sure hope Powderly likes eating Chinese food.

Rfive

He´s an idiot for trying to act out his free speech fantasys in China. I like his work in the US, but he´s a fool for trying it where they just don´t joke around.

Fck him...DonÇt. I hope no one pulls strings to get him out.

Snoopy

Interesting idea. Wrong country. Looks like Powderly is going to take a powder for a while.

tsol

Guys like this have fantasies that the government in the US oppresses them. It'd good for him to experience the real thing!

zodak

westernqueensland, i also always wonder why these "activists" don't do anything for their fellow citizens.

this idiot is going to learn the hard way that he should have just made his lasers display the panda logo.

(no relation to pandamonium)

buzardb8

Footsteps? Ha! Those were the boot prints of oppression!

tingo

Aw, unjust detainment. But did you see those cool fireworks footsteps?? Awesome!!

westernqueensland

This story will reach infinitely more people than laser graffiti. Job well done for the Tibetans. I'm curious if he'd risk incarceration here to protect the likes of Sean Bell and other "local 3rd world people?"

varonearts

Art is politics. Good luck James.

suepart

don't confuse art with politics.

Pull My Finger

throw away the key

Anna_Merkin

One of the NYT's writers did a piece on how China's government was requiring protesters to register beforehand recently.

Tgirl

hey- maybe pretend-anarchists Critical Mass can fly over to Beijing and stage a traffic jam in solidarity. Nah...those posers will surely remain on more gentrified turf to make their statements.

chris

Woah.

Creepy, I actually talked to him about being detained abroad and he was definitely not excited at the prospect.

djwerdna

This probably won't be very well-publicized in China, but if it were, the Chinese people would be very against him since many Chinese vehemently believe Tibet and Taiwan are inseparable parts of China.