ANIMAL » VANDALISM

String of Anti-Semitic Incidents Punctuated by More Vandalism

Bucky Turco — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:30:57 +0000

For a Brooklyn neighborhood scarred by a recent string of anti-Semitic incidents, this latest act of vandalism is not cool. Last week, several cars in Midwood were burned and painted with swastikas and now the subway sign at the Avenue J station was defaced so it reads: “Avenue Jew.”

Reagan Statue Kidnapping Attempt Foiled

Marina Galperina — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:23:57 +0000

A life-size bronze sculpture of Ronald Reagan was recently molested in California’s Newport Beach park by mysterious “vandals” who lassoed and hitched Reagan to a pick up truck, but were thwarted mid-tow, as the rope slipped off. Confounded authorities speculate it was the skyrocketing prices of metal that motivated the crew to steal and pawn the dead prez.

Others site the fact that the political monument wasn’t welcome in a public park in the first place. Thar he leans, like a hilly photo meme, smiling broadly, hanging midway, seemingly baiting passerby with a OCD and a heavy boot to align him on way or the other.

Argentinian Government Ruins Vandalized Statue

Marina Galperina — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:05:42 +0000

A classic cast of Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker was recently sprayed pink in Buenos Aires, the Argentinian government caused more substantial damage to the work by blasting it with water. The amateur clean up caused “irreversible damage” to the original blue algae patination, a part of the statue considered valuable by conservationists.

Just like the swift and hugely unpopular clean up of the storied vandalism of a Soviet monument in Bulgaria, the efforts aren’t going over well.

The statue was given green hair and a shoulder tat, but the anonymous vandals’ motives are unclear. Were they doing a David Černý tribute? Were they trying to turn The Thinker into a punkish feminist? Were they trying to get on a blog?

UPDATE: Spanish speakers to the rescue! The “pensa de que te sirvio” graffiti is slang-ish to the tune of “Think about what is good for you” or “Think about what worked for you.”

Shepard Fairey’s Mural Bombed Over and Over in Copenhagen

Marina Galperina — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 19:30:31 +0000

Since Shepard Fairey and his mural first took a hit in Copenhagen last month, “the mural continues to get vandalized regularly.” Fairey wasn’t planning on fixing his mural (again) and called the initial attacks “senselessly barbaric.” Regardless, they keep on coming.

Since the left-leaning activists were evicted by the government in 2007, the sore sight and surroundings of the former Jagtvej 69 Youth House is covered with graffiti, but judging by the “Go home Yankee hipster” wall insignia, Peace was not welcome from the beginning. Judging by the ongoing methodical vandalism, the Fairey-purging ritual will only continue — just like it did in NYC last year. (Photos: Hyperallergic)

Mystery Man Spraypaints Art at the National Gallery

Marina Galperina — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:00:02 +0000

A 57-year-old man “desecrated” Nicolas Poussin’s 16th century work The Adoration of the Golden Calf at the National Museum in London today. He spray-painted on some brown and “proudly” stood by his work, before being arrested. Then, he gave “some kind of explanation in French.”

Unlike recent art attacks of clearly controversial works or those accompanied by explanatory, raging screams about “lesbians” and “Jesus,” the motive here is unknown.

Surfing Madonna Mosaic Removed at “Vandal’s” Expense

Marina Galperina — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:00:38 +0000

The quirky and environmentally-conscious surfing Virgin of Guadalupe mosaic mural in Encinitas, California was removed — according to the city, it’s graffiti. Artist Mark Patterson agreed to pay a $500 fine plus the $2,600 in removal costs.

The detailed 10 by 10 foot work was not damaged and is looking for a new home. (Photo: Barbara Holton/Flickr)

Watch Moscow’s Oldest Graffiti Crew Bomb Lots of Sh*t

Bucky Turco — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:06:07 +0000

Here’s a vandalism video that is more of a feature length film. It documents the work of ЗАЧЕМ (translated as “Why?”), Moscow’s oldest and most notorious graffiti crew, who apparently are not averse to daylight bombing at all.

Vandalized Soviet Tank Sailed Down a Prague River in Triumph

Marina Galperina — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:00:29 +0000

Here is Soviet Tank No. 23, a monument vandalized by artist David Černý in 1991 when it was painted pink and topped with a giant, phallic finger. Yesterday, we compared it to “Bulgarian Banksy’s” recently cartooned statues of Red Army soldiers. The tank was just sailed down the Vltala River in Prague to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Czechoslovakia.

This tank “monument” was plopped in Prague in 1945 to commemorate the Red Army liberating Czechoslovakia from the Nazis, but since 1968, it largely symbolized the Soviet-led invasion that crushed the Prague Spring period of political liberalization.

It’s been kept in a military museum, but now it’s standing victoriously on a river bank with a whole horde of celebratory events planned around it. Art-prankster David Černý was on site, being venerated for his vandalistic heroism by city officials.

(Photos: EPA/MATEJ DIVIZNA)

Bulgarian Monument to the Red Army “Vandalized”

Marina Galperina — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 20:00:42 +0000

Over the weekend, the citizens of Sofia, Bulgaria awoke to find a public monument to Red Army defaced by an unknown interventionist. The statues of Soviet soldiers who “liberated” Bulgaria in 1944 were painted as Superman, Ronald McDonald, Santa Claus and other pop culture icons of capitalist Americana. Below it, a graffiti caption read: “In step with the times!”

Today, the Bulgarian Minister of Culture condemned the act as “vandalism,” concluding that “We (Bulgarians) are the only ones led by some kind of destructive force when it comes to monuments of socialism.” Maybe, maybe not. Czech artist prankster-extraordinaire David Černý had pulled a similar stunt years ago when he painted a Soviet tank pink. (Photos: SoHo41/Flickr)

Vandal States the Obvious About the Knicks

Bucky Turco — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 20:08:41 +0000

As the sports fans among you are probably well aware, the Dallas Mavericks beat the Miami Heat for the NBA’s top honors last night, a feat the Knicks couldn’t pull of this year or in 1994 for that matter. Anyhow, someone left New York’s team a well deserved memento at their hometown station.