photo by Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press

Controversy. How do you create it? Become a graffiti artist. Alex Poli, a graffiti artist could probably write a book on the tribulations of creating art with a spray can and public walls. In September, Alex legally attained permits to paint 10,000 square feet of concrete wall at the Los Angeles River banks. The trouble began once the project was completed and now Alex is being threatened with fines by the county to cover the murals. (read the full article)

Go through the art history books and you can find many occurances when great artwork was questioned and deemed as not being art. Why can’t graffiti art transcend the scrutiny of public disdain? Perhaps it’s the gang tagging, the amateur attempts or the lack of art appreciation that seems to be a by-product of graffiti art.

In the future, the Bullfighter’s Cafe will take a closer look at graffiti art and examine all the issues that makes this type of artwork so contentious.