I've been noticing a lot of graffiti downtown lately. Most recently when driving to work today, I noticed fresh graffiti on the brand new building on the SW corner of NW 6th and Hudson, just right across the street from the Regency Tower and the new federal building. Also on Hudson and Dean A. McGee there is quite a bit of graffiti.

OKC has a grafitti removal hotline:

297-2535

Anytime you run across it, call them up right away.

The best deterent is quick removal.

And on the 13th street bridge over I-235.

Mid. Thanks for the contact info. I programmed the number in my cell phone and will call them right away. I noticed a building off the Centennial Expressway is getting pretty bad too. I've also got city code inspectors plugged in my phone for easy access as well. Has anyone else noticed those sites above I mentioned with graffiti?

Easy way to stop it...shoot to kill those doing it. :) Okay maybe that is a bit harsh...but it would end that and probably impact the gang problem at the same time.

Venture -- 30 days in the electric chair.

I noticed more of it today at around 5th and Walker. It's spreading viciously on the west side of downtown.

Easy way to stop it...shoot to kill those doing it. :) Okay maybe that is a bit harsh...but it would end that and probably impact the gang problem at the same time.
Sad to say, but your solution may be the only one that works. :fighting2

Seriously, these kids (I presume) have nothing better to do than pump up their egos than doing destructive stuff, which is very sad. Where's Hillary's "village stuff" when you need her?

Or perhaps these people doing the grafitti just need a better outlet for their artistic side such as after school programs or other community programs.

After school and community programs are fantasy ideas in a Politicians world...back to reality now. :)

We could start finger painting classes at the community center!

Or better yet, I think the anti-gang task force needs to take this on. It's apparently gang-related graffiti.

You know, why don't we give these folks a place to spray their graffiti. The thing I used to lvoe about graffiti bridge was it allowed these people a place to spray their work. Why not create another graffiti bridge, and maybe it would cut down on graffiti elsewhere?

Where was the Graffiti Bridge?

You know, why don't we give these folks a place to spray their graffiti. The thing I used to lvoe about graffiti bridge was it allowed these people a place to spray their work. Why not create another graffiti bridge, and maybe it would cut down on graffiti elsewhere?

I don't really think that idea's a winner. Most of the graffiti you've seen around town lately has been gang related. It's a method to mark territory, or to simply make your presence known. The graffiti bridge would be a nice idea, however, it would be completely unrelated to the problem at hand.

Where was the Graffiti Bridge?

Where present day Classen intersects Western.

Most of the graffiti you've seen around town lately has been gang related.

I run a nonprofit for at-risk teens in Los Angeles and am very well versed in gangs, graffiti and the like.

Most people assume that 'tagging' is gang related when in fact, the huge percentage is not.

Most taggers are just kids that like to see their work around town.


It's really very simple: Just call the graffiti removal hotline and report anything you see. Kids will stop tagging if their work is quickly eradicated. And if you really want to help, check on an area on a regular basis and make calls as needed.


And BTW, we run after school art programs here that get former taggers involved in public art and it's been highly successful.

it's not even good graffiti.... where's the talent around here?!

There is good graffiti over off 1-235 aka Centennial Expressway aka Broadway Extention. On the east side of the road on a warehouse over by Kimray. I've also seen some good work on some trains. There is also some good work in Automobile Alley on Broadway just south of 10th on the west side of the road on a large building.


Originally Posted by Patrick
You know, why don't we give these folks a place to spray their graffiti. The thing I used to lvoe about graffiti bridge was it allowed these people a place to spray their work. Why not create another graffiti bridge, and maybe it would cut down on graffiti elsewhere?


I don't really think that idea's a winner. Most of the graffiti you've seen around town lately has been gang related. It's a method to mark territory, or to simply make your presence known. The graffiti bridge would be a nice idea, however, it would be completely unrelated to the problem at hand.

I agree they need a designated area to graffiti. In fact if I remember right, the city is already looking into this as this discussion was brought up a few months ago. As Malibu pointed out, it's not always gang related but a way to showplace someone's art. It's just tacky how they go about doing it. The incident over on Hudson at NW 6th and between 4th and Dean A. McGee again on Hudson, is probably gang related. It's a name, that appears to be a gang name. They painted it on windows, a brand new building and everything else. Ruined that brand new building.... : (

i agree there should be a legal wall or place to express the art. i just dont know who to talk to so we could get something started on that. i am a local artist who uses spray paint as my medium. i have done some legal work for some companies. and tryin to do more. this graffiti you have been seeing is not gang related. unless it is in deep south side. most of these kids are very talented artists, and just need a way to express themselves legally.

urbanone, I'm curious can you do private work? I'd be interested in a possible piece on one of my walls in my downtown condo

Channel 9 (through newsok.com) interviewed Tulsa & OKC police who said there is a 'tagging war' between groups in both towns and that's the reason for the recent outbreak in both cities. Sounds like they are making progress towards bringing this to an end:

http://www.newsok.com/video/33014

:artist you can check out my some of my artwork on my myspace page(www.myspace.com/kasone405) and you can email me at (kasone405@cox.net). i would love to do any work.

jus thought i would put my facts in on this. there is not a war going on between tulsa and okc. those tulsa kids came down and were painting with local artists. yes we do like to show off to tulsa but it is not in any way a "war". i say these are facts because i am kinda involved in this situation. but i am not any of the kids they are looking for. i have already been questioned and cleared of this so dont worry about telling anybody about me. i know everybody looks down on graff so i am just here to defend it.

" #9 08-23-2006, 04:10 PM
keving
Member Join Date: Sep 2005
Total Posts: 151
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Re: Graffiti problem downtown??

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Or perhaps these people doing the grafitti just need a better outlet for their artistic side such as after school programs or other community programs"

Oh that's right...they're victims, how could we forget. I don't know, but I was taught that not having something was no excuse for taking someone elses stuff or messing it up. Maybe that should be our tack w/ Iran, they just need a constructive outlet for their nuclear ambitions, I'm sure they go along w/ it. Meanwhile, let's all sing kum-bah-yah, pass the earth shoes and send little candle-laden boats down the river at sunset. Get a grip people. These graffiti types need to be dealt w/ for the Vandals that they ARE.

Most art is good enough for people to want to see it. Unfortunately, these folks don't seem to get that. People line up to see exhibits of good art at galleries, exhibitions (which happen frequently on the Paseo and on Automobile Alley), etc.

These guys could very easily channel their energies into something legal. Instead, they "tag" the more crowded parts of our city. This graffiti causes incalculable harm. As much as we spend to make our downtown look clean and orderly, graffiti makes it look dirty and out of control.

Some of these guys are very talented others not so much (the graffiti on Hudson and 4th, for example was just dumb looking). I'd love to see the talented artists channel their energy into something legal.

I'd like to see the untalented hangers-on do something productive with their lives.

It's great that they have talent, but if your art harms other's property, you're nothing more than a talented criminal.

Oh that's right...they're victims, how could we forget.
I never said they were victims.


I don't know, but I was taught that not having something was no excuse for taking someone elses stuff or messing it up.
They are not "taking someone elses stuff". They might be "messing it up" but that is subjective. To them, they might not see it that way, which is why they need guidance, such as a community program or perhaps an outreach program from some local art galleries.


Maybe that should be our tack w/ Iran, they just need a constructive outlet for their nuclear ambitions, I'm sure they go along w/ it. Meanwhile, let's all sing kum-bah-yah, pass the earth shoes and send little candle-laden boats down the river at sunset.
Wow! Okay, a little off topic. If you would like to create a let's bomb Iran and the hippies thread, go right ahead.


These graffiti types need to be dealt w/ for the Vandals that they ARE.Of course, they should be held accountable for their actions. But they also need guidance in how to constructively do what they like to do.

keving --

I have a hard time believing 25 year olds need to be 'guided constructively' in order for them to know that spray painting private proprety creating tremendous expense to other private individuals who are just trying to make a living is immoral.

This graffiti is extremely selfish and immature. The above poster who claims to be somehow involved is 25 years old.

Most of the "art" I have seen around town is crap anyhow. If these 'taggings' are supposed to convince anyone that we're talking about talented artists, they're really missing the mark.

If they want, I can perform some art upon their private property. Maybe writing stupid things with my car keys on their car doors could be an artistic 'happening.'

I have not seen the graffiti in question but have been referencing graffiti in general.

:artist you can check out my some of my artwork on my myspace page(www.myspace.com/kasone405) and you can email me at (kasone405@cox.net). i would love to do any work.

do you have the pictures hosted elsewhere? I don't have a myspace account, so I can't see your work.

I personally think some graffiti is awesome. Consider that not all graffiti is necessarily done on the side of someone else's building as vandalism. There are truly talented tag artists out there participating in legitimate contests and have their work shared all over the internet.

I personally think a large wall designated as a "graffiti wall" for true artists to showcase their talents (gang-related tagging would not be tolerated) would be great for OKC--it would add some vibrance to the city. Similar ideas have been implemented elsewhere.

Police Target Taggers

By Joe Wertz
The Oklahoman

He calls himself “Cier” and posts pictures of his artwork on a Web site to show off his talent.

His name has spread through the city on the sides of planes, trains, buildings and billboards.

He boasts that he cannot be stopped.

That claim is about to be put to the test. Oklahoma City police say Cier is a vandal and part of a “tagging war” that has cost the city more than $65,000 - and they say they are close to catching him.

“These people obviously don’t care about the city or how it looks,” said Oklahoma City police Sgt. Paco Balderrama.

The graffiti competition is between groups from Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Balderrama said. The two groups compete by spray-painting their nicknames or “tags” across the city, he said.

The larger or more elaborate the tag, the better the bragging rights, Balderrama said.

After tagging a building, the vandals take a photograph and post it online at MySpace.com as a challenge to the other group, Balderrama said. That could be their undoing. “They post them online to glorify what they have done,” Balderrama said. “But they are just providing us with documentation of the crimes.”

Cier’s tag was part of the graffiti that police found spray-painted on planes at Wiley Post Airport on Aug. 21, Balderrama said. Five planes were damaged, including a restored Douglas A-26 Invader that was being kept at the airport.

Police have not linked the graffiti to gang activity, Balderrama said.

Rick Dowell said several buildings owned by his company, Dowell Properties Inc., were hit by taggers about a week ago.

Dowell said thousands of dollars were spent removing graffiti from the Midtown Plaza at 500 N Walker Ave., and removing the graffiti was difficult because of the buildings’ historic natures.

“It’s a real shame. We are doing everything we can to keep this city and build this city, and all these nitwits do is tear it down,” he said. “It’s so senseless, it makes you want to scream.”

Cier and two other taggers, who go by the aliases Sage and Helok, are thought to be from Oklahoma City, Balderrama said. The Tulsa taggers are thought to go by the names Norte, Bepop and Ozone, Balderrama said.

No arrests have been made in connection with the vandalism, Balderrama said.

Brilliant Keving, your searing intellect should be an example for us all.

It's vandalism, there is nothing "subjective" about that.

mburlison,

Remember what Hillary Clinton said? It takes a village to raise a child! :(

Seriously, in a not-so-sarcastic tone now, I think that a graffiti park, might be awesome for the city. Or perhaps we could take the municipal skate park and legalize graffiti there? (or would that pose a hazard?)

There probably are constructive ways to allow people to express themselves, and in turn, they could create diversions within the city. The question, I think, is whether these morons would avail themselves of such services when the opportunity to vandalize highly visible public and private structures is still available?

Obviously we disagree, but I don't see why a park rewarding people who selfishly and without regard to law and order spray graffiti. It's tantamount to giving out clean needles to addicts or providing handouts to people so they won't rob a bank. I'm just not convinced that these souls have 'no place at all' to express themselves save for destroying (whoops, I'm being objective again) "decorating" other people's property :). I agree some of these people have talent, I doubt pen and pencil or paint and canvass cost much more than the bling they wear or money they spend on the paint in the first place.

It used to be that people were held accountable for their actions, that's all I'm saying.

The graffiti park concept is really seperate from these guys. I hope that they have to pay some major restitution and do some serious hard time for this crap.

I would love to see the D.A. make examples out of them.

As to graffiti in general? If it's done in a legal way, it can be a good thing.

hey everyone. i understand that this forum is probably old. but i notice that there is a lot of debate going on about this. i am the guy that did all of this. i have already been caught, and im about to be doing 90 days in jail.

just to clear it up. it is not gang related. i am not in a gang nor have i ever been in a gang..
and since all of this happened with the news i am now doing legal walls. you can go and see one on sw 29th. we have 3.

and how can you even compare graffiti to the war in iraq. you are just ignorant.

haha

check out my music and my art. www.myspace.com/cierkills (http://www.myspace.com/cierkills)

holler

oh yeah. you can either call it art or vandalism. but there is a huge difference in designing intricate letters and using colors to bring them than keying your name in someones car. it is obvious that graffiti has a bad name. but atleast think about what you are saying before you make retarded analogies that do not apply...


here is some of the work i have done since.. ALL LEGAL
you judge whether its art or not...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/dumpster/PICT0633.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/dumpster/PICT0595.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/dumpster/PICT0611.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/dumpster/PICT0607.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/dumpster/PICT0539.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/dumpster/PICT0524-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/dumpster/PICT0527.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/dumpster/PICT0453.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/dumpster/PICT0615.jpg

Intresting thread...I'm curious what your motivation is?

What do you charge for doing a wall?

Yeah, I'm trying to figure out what the motivation to spray paint someone's airplane would be. Please do tell.

LOL, Todd, I see the wheels turning.. next thing we know we'll all be walking through Bricktown and see a Gigantic mural OKCTALK.. it works for me!

I like. Is there a price per square foot?



Hooray for spray art! Long live the rebellion!

I think it would be really cool if Downtown OKC had a huge wall that artist could do graffiti on... kinda like the wall they have in Vinice Beach, CA. There is alot of really good artwork on it and it changes everyday. That way artist can show off their talent and it'll be perfectly legal.

Graffiti is vandalism if done on someone elses property without their permission. Simple as that.

It is 'artwork' (depending on the painter) if done on your own property or if someone hires/allows you to do work on their property.

Graffiti is vandalism if done on someone elses property without their permission. Simple as that.

It is 'artwork' (depending on the painter) if done on your own property or if someone hires/allows you to do work on their property.

Exactly. Cier, you seem to be good at what you do, and I would welcome it as long as owners approve.

yes, its great cool work, and i support it ONLY if you have a property owner's permission. I'm curious where on SW 29th is some of your work?

my motivation behind it is...

i like to see my name in places. i like to climb billboards and sneak into train yards, and climb on top of roofs just to put my name there. its something that very few people do or can do in this city.

i never said that painting on someone elses property was right. i know that it is illegal. i sometimes even get a bad feeling after i do certain spots. and i usually never hit a privately owned business. ((with an exception from what you seen on the news..to me it looked like the builsing was empty and runned down. i didnt know about the historical significance..)) i almost always hit a business where i know the people that own it can afford to paint over it. i look at it like a cause and effect relationship. the government takes money from us and puts it in their pocket. they dont put the money into the community to fund schools..or anything. so basically what i do. is use my tax dollars to paint over my graffiti. i see it differently i guess...

and i didnt paint the airplanes. i never claimed to paint the airplanes. and i never painted the airplanes. the news had it all wrong. they pretty much put together a horrible story to make everyone believe that something is going on when its just graffiti. they made the public believe that i had murdered someone. it wasnt that serious. well atleast i dont believe it was. others may disagree, and from what i read on this forum is that most of you disagree..

i dont charge anything to do a legal wall. if you give me the permission to do what i LOVE to do, then i wont charge you anything. ill paint whatever it is that you want me to paint. (lettering only) pretty much. thats what i like to do. i dont claim to be an artist. i dont claim to be an illustrator. thats obviously why im not in art school somewhere and thats why i dont sell my work. i love graffiti and i am never going to stop doing it. as long as i have a legal wall, i wont do illegal graffiti, but when the legal walls go away. i will write graffiti else where...

...

i start my 90 days in county tomorrow, i always have a 1200 fine, and i have a 2 year deferred sentence, plus court costs. jsut incase any of you guys were wondering what happened with everything that was on the news..

sorry if you think that my graffiti looks like crap
i love it
and i dont talk crap about you quilting a crappy sweater that no one will ever wear..

holllllllerrr

and oh yeah. id definately do an OKC TALK piece for you....

<H2> FOR FREE <h2>

Myspace.com (http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1552600702)


watch the video of me at the legal wall

holler

i almost always hit a business where i know the people that own it can afford to paint over it.


I was actually pulling for you until this line. We own a business. You would vandalize our property just so you can see your name?

That's not cool.

i look at it like a cause and effect relationship. the government takes money from us and puts it in their pocket. they dont put the money into the community to fund schools..or anything. so basically what i do. is use my tax dollars to paint over my graffiti. i see it differently i guess...

I agree Karried, I can understand where the dude is coming from and needs an outlet for his art, but lines like the one you quoted as well as the one above just make me have no sympathy. Man, total IGNORANCE. Cier, you CHOOSE to be a part of the PROBLEM and not part of the SOLUTION. I totally disagree that the government does not fund schools, roads, etc. Is the government perfect and make mistakes, yes, just like you and I do. Maybe you'd see better results from the government if there wasn't people like you that they had to go and spend unnecessary money to fix people's illegal behavior. Jails, repainting graffiti'd walls, county services, vandalism, etc. are all unnecessary costs a government should NOT have but there will always be people like you who will keep the government in business of wasting money. I like your art, but you need to be less IGNORANT and have a better perspective and take pride in OUR CITY! How about I graffiti your house with my name, just so I can see my name??

Where on SW 29th is your work?

good point metro...


29th and agnew

I was actually pulling for you until this line. We own a business. You would vandalize our property just so you can see your name?

That's not cool.
I agree. Cier, by creating "unauthorized" works, you're taking your artform, which has the capacity to be admired (along with those who create it), and turning it into something to be despised, in effect shooting yourself in the foot. But, I'm glad you're working on keeping it legal.

BTW, I thought you were supposed to be in jail today?!? Where are you posting from? ;)

i was supposed to go to jail today. or i thought. instead of 3 months they are now trying to give me 9 months. so my lawyer got it continued until next month.

i will do jail time over this
and i know what i do is illegal


im sorry if i have ever painted anyones building on here

and i am trying to keep it legal. as long as i can push it in that direction. im sure ill be okay...

With all the construction and renovation going on around town maybe some of these developers or business owners can put these artists to work. Murals are very popular and great advertising. It's a win-win situation. Maybe I can have someone paint the side of my garage so that when I go in the backyard it looks like I'm at the beach instead.

Cier, I still don't understand the need to see your name everywhere, especially if you want to call yourself an artist. My children can spell their names, they're not allowed to write it on the wall though. I'm sure that most people would welcome a piece of artwork on their building if you just asked them. They would probably OFFER to pay you something for your time and talent as well.

With a new laser-based graffiti system you can now tag a whole skyscraper (with no cleanup involved). :D
Skyscraper Laser Graffiti (http://www.flixxy.com/skyscraper-laser-graffiti.htm)

I agree with many of the previous posts...but also happen to admire the "artistic" graffiti...meaning the non-gang related tags being sprayed on public areas (namely under bridges etc.).

Having spent substantial time in NYC, there are some amazing graffiti artists there. And recently I too have noticed the proliferation of such in OKC. I really don't mind it as long as its "true" graffiti art, and not defacing private property. I actually think the presence of such enhances the image of OKC to some degree--gives us some extra urban/modern appeal.

I remeber reading that it was a bunch of Tulsa teen groups doing the graffiti in OKC and then some OKC groups up in Tulsa...

I can write my name in the snow, but I'm not going to do it on someone else's property. I figure, if that person hasn't disrupted their patch of snow yet, maybe they want it that way. Not cool, Cier.

BTW, I see I'm a little late on this discussion. You can all thank Metro for bringing it my attention, though.