Artist Painting On Paper Arrested For Graffiti

Photo via Julie Torres

On July 17th artist Julie Torres was taken in by Brooklyn's Finest for painting on her own paper, that was taped up at North 11th Street and Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg. Plainclothes cops approached her on that afternoon and arrested her for graffiti, despite the fact she was painting a watercolor on her own store-bought paper that was only temporarily taped to a wall. The entire story is over at Hyperallergic, where they note that as Torres was being taken away by the cops, she asked if she could take her paintings with her because they were "her livelihood. She says the undercover cops started to laugh at her. 'You sell these, these are art? You’re a funny girl.'”

She was put in a holding cell for 23 hours, has been to court twice since the arrest, and had hundreds of dollars of her art supplies confiscated by The Man (according to the police report: “43 tubes of paint, 22 containers of foil paper, and 2 palettes from the defendant’s bag"). Torres told the site: “I’m learning that Brooklyn courts are very tough on graffiti. They’re cracking down in a big way. It’s unfortunate that I got caught up in that—because I was definitely not making graffiti. What I’ve learned is—the moment they call it graffiti—you are screwed. If you so much as put a sticker on a building—you’re screwed.”

According to the NYPD’s Vandals Task Force, Torres should have asked permission before starting her painting. When grilled more by the Hyperallergic folk, it became clear the laws regarding graffiti are blurry at best, and quite possibly not understood by those enforcing them.

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 September 16, 2010 4:48 PM

Comments [rss]

freddynyc

I'd hit that shit.

robingee

The cops act like they have never heard of such an outlandish thing as selling paintings for a living.

Rocknrope

"What, dat artsy-fartsy stuff? geddafuggouttahere!"

dgeee

We're no longer dealing with the mind set of a community police force, NYPD is more like a paramilitary unit of poorly paid psychologically imbalanced and undereducated mercenaries who drink too much booze and take too many steroids.

John L

+1

It's sad.

Violating people's rights with impunity.

John L

+1

It's sad.

Violating people's rights with impunity.

sowhtifithppnsitwll

But, can she sue? Twenty three hours is way out there. The officers should be ashamed of themselves.

sowhtifithppnsitwll

P.S. That sign in the upper right corner is a punishable offense. Lock it up.

Matthew

Fuck the cops and the NYPD. Stupid wiseguy assholes. Yeah she sells her painting, pigs, unlike you, who makes a living leeching off NYC and doing nothing artistic or creative, except maybe thinking up new ways to be total fuckwads.

John L

When there's a quota to fill every resident becomes nothing more than a number or statistic, guilty or not guilty it doesn't matter.

The NYPD is out of control.

We need a new police commissioner.

Someone who values quality policing over this quantitative bullshit.

5borough

Get an easle.

BDS=(Boycott.Divest.Sanction)

i like the girls painting.

its a shame she got busted but all the rationalizing about why is just a waste of time.

lets face it, nyc now more than ever is a police state. what that means is that if you are going to do something that no one else is doing, something quirky, strange or that isnt sanctioned, chances are theres a summons for that.

if you're homeless and covered in piss the cops might leave you alone, cause no one wants to be around that...but otherwise a girl like this, just by standing out from the crowd will help em them make their quota.

Spirit of 76

"the laws ... are ... quite possibly not understood by those enforcing them."

That's NYPD all over. And probably every other police force in the country. Take a look at any book of local laws, statutes and ordinances. Think any cop can remember more than a tiny fraction of them?

exnyer

Is it me or does that outfit match the graffiti colors? I gotta stop smoking this shit.

TheKlaus

She should have been arrested for littering. Or covering public walls with absolute shit.

used_up_shoe

Littering is a summons and the second thing isn't a law.

TheKlaus

Wow, sphincter tighteningly literal much? How many times did you have to push up your glasses while typing that post?

Rocknrope

You mean she was arrested even though it was completely contrary to logic and reason?

Yep, sounds like the NYPD.

If she wanted to appeal to the cops, she should have painted a Camaro, or a tank with american flag colors.

And a tip for Torres: Buy an easel.

Cannibal

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hold on let me catch my breath...

HAHAHAHHSHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

whew!