Graffiti Is Not A Crime '24

Graffiti Is Not A Crime is a visual protest and a love letter to the streets of New York City. Featuring the city’s iconic pigeon holding a sign that reads “Free ESCAPE,” the painting speaks out against the criminalization of graffiti and uplifts it as a form of expression, identity, and resistance. The name “ESCAPE” refers to the active graffiti writer from the Mad Writers and United Kings crews, who was arrested while I was creating this piece. As pigeons once carried messages, this one becomes a winged advocate for the culture—reminding us that art belongs in the streets and that voices, no matter how tagged, should never be caged.

Medium    Oils on Canvas
Size           20 x 20 inches