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‘Art vs vandalism’ LA building graffiti controversy

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Neglected for 5 years… Covered in works since January
“It will become an LA landmark through the power of art.”
“We must stop illegal acts that damage private property.”

Ocean Wide Plaza, a skyscraper in Los Angeles, USA, covered in graffiti. TikTok video capture

A high-rise building in downtown Los Angeles (LA), the largest city in the western United States, whose construction has been halted for five years, is becoming a hot topic as it is covered in graffiti, a symbol of street culture. The position that a neglected building will become a landmark of Los Angeles through the power of art is competing with the claim that it is an illegal act of destroying private property without permission.

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The U.S. Washington Post (WP) said, “In Los Angeles, the 55-story ‘Oceanwide Plaza’, construction of which was halted in 2019, was covered with graffiti by street artists,” adding, “It rekindles the age-old debate over whether graffiti is art or vandalism.” “It ignited,” he said.

Oceanwide Plaza was a large-scale construction project in the form of three towers in downtown Los Angeles, costing a total of $1 billion (approximately 1.34 trillion won). However, construction was halted as the developer, headquartered in Beijing, China, ran into financial difficulties.

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Graffiti has been drawn on buildings that were only in shape since the end of January this year. One artist who drew the painting himself was excited in an interview with the New York Times, saying, “This is my first experience working on a skyscraper.” The fact that the building is located in a central area near the Los Angeles Convention Center is said to have further stimulated graffiti writers.

The transformed building is attracting public attention through word of mouth. Robert Provenzano, a famous graffiti artist, told the NYT, “We have raised the artistic level of graffiti,” and added, “The entire building should be completed with graffiti.” Professor Stefano Bloch of the University of Arizona also commented, “It has artistic significance as an expose of large-scale development failure.”

The problem is that as people flock there, it is increasingly becoming an ‘illegal playground.’ Some people made campfires and grilled steaks in the building, and last month, some people attempted paragliding from the rooftop. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) arrested four people on charges of trespassing on the 28th of last month.

The city council also requested the developer to strengthen security, but the bankrupt company did not respond. The Los Angeles Central City Association recently urged, “Correction is urgently needed before bigger problems arise.” Accordingly, Los Angeles plans to spend its own budget to clean up the area.

Source: Donga

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