Guy Paints A few banks on fire, Gets Labeled Terrorist
56 replies, posted
[url]http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bank-painting-20110828,0,4395501.story[/url]
[QUOTE]Standing before an easel on a Van Nuys sidewalk, Alex Schaefer dabbed paint onto a canvas.
"There you have it," he said. "Inflammatory art."
The 22-by-28-inch [I]en plein air[/I] oil painting is certainly hot enough to inflame Los Angeles police.
Twice they've come to investigate why the 41-year-old Eagle Rock artist is painting an image of a bank building going up in flames.
Schaefer had barely added the orange-and-yellow depiction of fire shooting from the roof of a Chase Bank branch when police rolled up to the corner of Van Nuys Boulevard and Sylvan Street on July 30.
"They told me that somebody had called and said they felt threatened by my painting," Schaefer said.
"They said they had to find out my intention. They asked if I was a terrorist and was I going to follow through and do what I was painting."
No, Schaefer said. He explained that the artwork was intended to be a visual metaphor for the havoc that banking practices have caused to the economy.
A terrorist certainly would not spend hours on a public sidewalk creating an oil painting of his intended target, he told the officers.
The police took down his name, address and telephone number on a form — Schaefer declined to provide his Social Security number — and departed.
"They were friendly. They weren't intimidating," he said. "I figured that when they left, they probably decided the episode was stupid and they'd just wad up the form and throw it away."
Wrong. On Tuesday, two more officers showed up at Schaefer's home. This time they were plainclothes detectives.
"One of them asked me, 'Do you hate banks? Do you plan to do that to the bank?' " Schaefer again explained what his painting symbolizes.
He is actually doing a series of paintings depicting banks ablaze, he said. His first one two months ago featured a Burbank Chase branch, and he has a [URL="http://www.latimes.com/topic/economy-business-finance/bank-of-america-corp.-ORCRP001609.topic"]Bank of America[/URL] painting in progress, he said. He will feature other large banks' branches as well; he does his own banking at a small community bank, Schaefer said.
"The flames symbolize bringing the system down," he said. "Some might say that the banks are the terrorists."
Although police elsewhere have occasionally challenged photographers taking pictures of things like refineries and governmental buildings in the wake of the [URL="http://www.latimes.com/topic/unrest-conflicts-war/terrorism/september-11-2001-attacks-EVHST000001.topic"]9/11[/URL] attacks, questioning an artist slowly creating an oil painting "is a horribly Orwellian act," said Andrew McGregor, a photographer who sometimes displays his work alongside Schaefer's.
A graduate of Pasadena's Art Center College of Design, Schaefer usually paints portraits, cityscapes and lush landscapes. He acknowledges that the bank series has overt political overtones.
The finished paintings will be displayed in a show called "Disaster Capitalism," scheduled for February at Inglewood's Beacon Arts Building, he said.
As Schaefer put the finishing touches on his Van Nuys bank painting, passersby stopped to admire his work.
"I like it. It is social justice," said Travis Stobbe, a Van Nuys apartment building owner.
Albert Acevedo, a salesman from Oxnard, snapped a photo of the painting with his cellphone. "This is great. I'm going in and withdrawing all my money out now," he joked.
Gary Kishner, a spokesman for Chase Bank, said his institution isn't sure what to make of Schaefer's work.
"It's a situation we don't take lightly. Hopefully, this is not what his actions are. It's kind of scary — you don't know what other people are thinking. We have to look out for the safety of our customers and employees," he said.
Schaefer said he has been surprised by the hubbub his burning bank has caused.
"I've only had two experiences with the police in my life, and these were both of them," he said. "I have this feeling I'll get different treatment at airports from now on."[/QUOTE]
The Art He Painted:
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/s9lJN.jpg[/IMG]
He also Painted a Bank of America On fire.
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/WF47c.jpg[/IMG]
You can find both paintings up for auction here:
[url]http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chase-Burning-/190570913537?pt=Art_Paintings&hash=item2c5ee95f01[/url]
[url]http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bank-America-/190573050098?pt=Art_Paintings&hash=item2c5f09f8f2[/url]
[quote][I]"It's a situation we don't take lightly. Hopefully, this is not what his actions are. It's kind of scary — you don't know what other people are thinking. We have to look out for the safety of our customers and employees," he said[/I].[/quote]
Most... put.. bank.. on... fire...
I fucking hate my government sometimes, and this is why.
They're not very good or logical when it comes to finding actual terrorists, why the hell would a guy be a terrorist for painting?
[quote]He acknowledges that the bank series has overt political overtones.[/quote]
Argh so redundant!
[QUOTE=CakeMaster7;32151478]I fucking hate my government sometimes, and this is why.
They're not very good or logical when it comes to finding actual terrorists, why the hell would a guy be a terrorist for painting?[/QUOTE]
It probably isn't the police or governments fault. People probably keep calling in saying it's offensive and threatening and then they have to send police in to investigate.
[QUOTE=CakeMaster7;32151478]why the hell would a guy be a terrorist for painting?[/QUOTE]
uH, Because he HAS to be figuring out the best place to blow up the bomb for maximum effect OF COURSE
How fucking stupid. I like those paintings.
[QUOTE=silentjubjub;32151511]why the hell would a guy be a terrorist for painting?[/QUOTE]
bonus points for an artistic execution
[QUOTE=~ZOMG;32151516]How fucking stupid. I like those paintings.[/QUOTE]
Then you're also a terrorist
[QUOTE=yawmwen;32151508]It probably isn't the police or governments fault. People probably keep calling in saying it's offensive and threatening and then they have to send police in to investigate.[/QUOTE]
The police didn't need to to return later and ask stupid questions like that.
What kind of detective just goes up to someone and asks: "Are you a terrorist?"
"Oh darn, you got me!"
[QUOTE=CakeMaster7;32151572]The police didn't need to to return later and ask stupid questions like that.[/QUOTE]
They need to conduct at least a small investigation. It would be pretty irresponsible for them not to.
I'd buy the BoA one...
And so the witch hunt continues with nothing being achieved. Some things never change.
We need our own Banksy :(
It's a shame he's a good artist too.
I know I can't paint that well.
They had all right to label him a terrorist within the law. There is a law that would cover something like this. Although I will refrain from saying what I think it is because If I am wrong that will completely ruin my argument.
that sounds stupid... but trust me, there is.
I'll take a Wells Fargo one!
He should commission them!
The problem I have with terror laws is that they're usually incredibly vague. I think this news article is a pretty good example of that.
[QUOTE=Zombii;32151632]What kind of detective just goes up to someone and asks: "Are you a terrorist?"
"Oh darn, you got me!"[/QUOTE]
I bet he looks like this
[img]http://s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/entries/icons/original/000/005/171/are-you-a-wizard.jpg?1299046207[/img]
Treating this guy like a criminal for making a painting seems to go against the 1st amendment.
Also, those paintings are great. Not only are they great from an artistic standpoint, they also have political/economic message.
I can easily see them getting paranoid at this.
[QUOTE=Mr. Sun;32151761]They had all right to label him a terrorist within the law. There is a law that would cover something like this. Although I will refrain from saying what I think it is because If I am wrong that will completely ruin my argument.
that sounds stupid... but trust me, there is.[/QUOTE]
It feels too much life violation of freedom of speech to me. It's pretty clearly a form of art. Not like a blueprint of a bank and little drawings of where flammable structures will be or something.
Oh American government, you never cease to amaze me at how incredibly incompetent you are as a whole.
[img]http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfmzwxICz81qbyxoxo1_500.png[/img]
[b]"Burn Bank of America! Burn Chase!"[/b]
[QUOTE=Sir Whoopsalot;32152269]I can easily see them getting paranoid at this.[/QUOTE]
maybe, but i think that the person who called in could've at least asked what he was painting, or his intentions
Why is this news? The cops are asking if he's going to do bad shit. Certainly it's silly for them to just assume, but I'm all for the idea of "better safe than sorry".
I wouldn't be ok if they actually stopped him from painting, but from what I'm reading they are just questioning the guy, and they aren't even taking him in to do it.
[QUOTE=coilgunner;32152342]It feels too much life violation of freedom of speech to me. It's pretty clearly a form of art. Not like a blueprint of a bank and little drawings of where flammable structures will be or something.[/QUOTE]
His paintings aren't being destroyed, he hasn't been imprisoned and he's still allowed to paint too, no violation of free speech here.
I like those paintings.
[QUOTE=Mr. Sun;32151761]They had all right to label him a terrorist within the law. There is a law that would cover something like this. Although I will refrain from saying what I think it is because If I am wrong that will completely ruin my argument.
that sounds stupid... but trust me, there is.[/QUOTE]
Maybe in the UK, where they overreact to this type of thing more.
(I've read how in the UK they can accuse you of being a terrorist and they don't even need proof of any sort)
i am a terrorist i will burn all the banks on 11th
[editline]6th September 2011[/editline]
all of them
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