The above picture is featured in today’s printed and online version of The San Francisco Examiner, which talks about the current felony criminal charges against one of my favorite San Francisco artists for the crime of graffiti.
Roman Cesario of gallery 1:AM SF adds some perspective:
“To catch a felony for painting a wall, something that can be fixed, that’s a tough pill to swallow,” he said. “When I saw something from ‘Girafa,’ it was never somewhere offensive, like a church or someone’s house.”
The City of San Francsico spent $3.7 million this year on graffiti removal and abatement — while struggling to find $8 million to prevent the layoffs of public health workers and the $45.1 million deficit of the SFMTA.
Photographer Steve Rotman adds some perspective:
“I think it’s nuts,” he said. “Here we are during a time of recession. Libraries are being cut back. And meanwhile The City is spending this enormous amount of money to get rid of what little graffiti is left.”
