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From the Star:
Two taggers arrested in Project Picasso
Graffiti crackdown in TTC yards Students charged in spraying spree
Christopher Maughan
Jun 22, 2006. pg. R.05
Copyright (c) 2006 Toronto Star, All Rights Reserved.
It's hard to imagine what Pablo Picasso would have thought of his name being used as the moniker for a police operation targeting work that some consider art, but others see as vandalism.
Under Project Picasso, Toronto Transit Commission special constables have apprehended a local art student and his American girlfriend, both of whom are accused of taking part in a graffiti- spraying spree in Boston and Toronto.
The two were arrested at the Davisville train yard the morning of June 8 when they gave themselves up after a 100-metre chase, say police.
The graffiti looked like the work of experienced artists, TTC Staff Sgt. Dan Patrick said.
TTC special constables have been staking out the city's two main subway yards four nights a week for the past two months.
It's the only way to catch graffiti artists in the act, said Special Const. Mike Butler, who, along with Patrick, is running the investigation.
"It's a very difficult thing to do," he said. "It's sort of hit and miss, but it's the only way we could catch them. Parts of the yards are so dark that having video surveillance just isn't worthwhile."
The idea for Project Picasso came about when Butler and other TTC officials noticed a rise in the number of graffiti incidents in train yards over the past seven months.
The project is part of a wider police crackdown on vandalism that's taking place across the city. While property owners are sure to welcome the initiative, artists are complaining that they're being unfairly targeted.
Cheryl Fernandez, the assistant manager at a graffiti supply store called Bomb Shelter, said she's had many non-artists come to her store to find out more about what graffiti taggers sometimes call public art.
"We have all kinds of mainstream people come in who like what we do," she said.
"We even have grandparents come in with their grandkids. These people recognize that this is free expression; it's another language."
Butler said the TTC spends about $1 million a year to get rid of graffiti.
He said the company will be seeking restitution from the two suspects to help pay for the cleaning.
He admitted he thought the mural at the Davisville yard looked pretty good.
"It was very colourful, very well-defined, and not sloppy at all. It was well-planned art."
But the TTC constables add that's no excuse for painting on public spaces.
"If it's someone's wall and they want it done, then that's fine. Just don't do it on public property," said Butler.
Phillip Nynkowski, 23, an Ontario College of Art and Design student, and Danielle Bremner, 24, a York University student, were charged with six counts of mischief under $5,000.
The couple appeared in court in Toronto on Monday; the case was adjourned until Sept. 11. Nynkowski and Bremner are also facing 18 charges of graffiti tagging and trespassing in Boston, and police are looking into graffiti in Vancouver.
"We're working hand in hand with forensic police and graffiti experts there to gather all the intelligence," said Butler.
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My cruel and unusual punishment? Take the favorite object owned by the accused and perform similiar defacements on it.
Two taggers arrested in Project Picasso
Graffiti crackdown in TTC yards Students charged in spraying spree
Christopher Maughan
Jun 22, 2006. pg. R.05
Copyright (c) 2006 Toronto Star, All Rights Reserved.
It's hard to imagine what Pablo Picasso would have thought of his name being used as the moniker for a police operation targeting work that some consider art, but others see as vandalism.
Under Project Picasso, Toronto Transit Commission special constables have apprehended a local art student and his American girlfriend, both of whom are accused of taking part in a graffiti- spraying spree in Boston and Toronto.
The two were arrested at the Davisville train yard the morning of June 8 when they gave themselves up after a 100-metre chase, say police.
The graffiti looked like the work of experienced artists, TTC Staff Sgt. Dan Patrick said.
TTC special constables have been staking out the city's two main subway yards four nights a week for the past two months.
It's the only way to catch graffiti artists in the act, said Special Const. Mike Butler, who, along with Patrick, is running the investigation.
"It's a very difficult thing to do," he said. "It's sort of hit and miss, but it's the only way we could catch them. Parts of the yards are so dark that having video surveillance just isn't worthwhile."
The idea for Project Picasso came about when Butler and other TTC officials noticed a rise in the number of graffiti incidents in train yards over the past seven months.
The project is part of a wider police crackdown on vandalism that's taking place across the city. While property owners are sure to welcome the initiative, artists are complaining that they're being unfairly targeted.
Cheryl Fernandez, the assistant manager at a graffiti supply store called Bomb Shelter, said she's had many non-artists come to her store to find out more about what graffiti taggers sometimes call public art.
"We have all kinds of mainstream people come in who like what we do," she said.
"We even have grandparents come in with their grandkids. These people recognize that this is free expression; it's another language."
Butler said the TTC spends about $1 million a year to get rid of graffiti.
He said the company will be seeking restitution from the two suspects to help pay for the cleaning.
He admitted he thought the mural at the Davisville yard looked pretty good.
"It was very colourful, very well-defined, and not sloppy at all. It was well-planned art."
But the TTC constables add that's no excuse for painting on public spaces.
"If it's someone's wall and they want it done, then that's fine. Just don't do it on public property," said Butler.
Phillip Nynkowski, 23, an Ontario College of Art and Design student, and Danielle Bremner, 24, a York University student, were charged with six counts of mischief under $5,000.
The couple appeared in court in Toronto on Monday; the case was adjourned until Sept. 11. Nynkowski and Bremner are also facing 18 charges of graffiti tagging and trespassing in Boston, and police are looking into graffiti in Vancouver.
"We're working hand in hand with forensic police and graffiti experts there to gather all the intelligence," said Butler.
_________________________________________________
My cruel and unusual punishment? Take the favorite object owned by the accused and perform similiar defacements on it.