discarded- more than a mere diss
(Photo by Khoi Nguyen/ArrestedMotion.com)
Hello! Ironic timing of this story. I have been a very busy bee planning my second move to Los Angeles, hence the writing hiatus. In my prior, and future neighborhood of downtown LA sits the massive high dollar building known as the Ritz Carlton Residences. Earlier in 2011, celebrated urban artists Mear One, Chor Boogie, and Shark Toof, along with the L.A Art Machine teamed up with some (as expected) kick-ass art for a high dollar promotional event the Ritz Carlton targeted to attract affluent potential occupants to fill vacant residences. Here's the sad turn to the story of the Zohar Law Firm vs. Ritz Carlton/AEG.
The promotional event was held by AEG in conjunction with the 2011 Los Angeles Art Show. Part of the event was curated by Bryson Strauss, an internationally-recognized gallery and museum curator and director of the L.A. Art Machine, a community-based arts organization. Mr. Strauss was to supply fine artwork for the real estate marketing event on January 19, 2011, designed to attract potential buyers to the Ritz-Carlton Residences' multi-million dollar penthouse suite, which remained unsold at the time. Mr. Strauss brought in several famed artists who provided their works for display at the event, including Shepard Fairey, creator of the Barack Obama "Hope" poster, and three critically-acclaimed street artists: Mear One, Chor Boogie and Shark Toof. Other featured artworks at the event were by legendary photojournalist Henri Cartier-Bresson, David LaChapelle, and Garret Suhrie. Following the successful party and the sale of Mr. Fairey's works (which were then removed), AEG asked that Mear One, Chor Boogie and Shark Toof continue displaying their artwork because the penthouse would be shown to more potential buyers in the future. The artists agreed, but on condition that their multiple pieces of artwork eventually had to be returned, and had to be professionally de-installed under the supervision of L.A. Art Machine.
However, several months later, after Mr. Strauss and the artists had already made arrangements with AEG to retrieve the artwork, they were told that the artwork had been ordered removed by AEG and then disposed of as part of a routine cleanup.
"My clients were shocked by this admission and expected an apology, as well as payment for their artwork. AEG offered neither," said Mr. Zohar. "Apparently they thought my clients lacked the resources and courage to take on such an influential and powerful business. They were wrong."
All three of the street artists are highly regarded within the art world on both a national and international level. Mear One is well-known for his politically-themed works, city-wide mural installations, and featured album covers and clothing graphics for music artists such as Limp Bizkit and Guns N' Roses. Chor Boogie has created murals in cities on five continents and painted portraits for Jay Z and Hugh Hefner, but may be best known for his mural painted on a portion of the Berlin Wall in 2010, valued at more than 500,000 Euros. Shark Toof's works, known for his iconic wheatpaste of a hand drawn shark head, have been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the United States including Portsmouth Museum of Art and currently at the Chinese American Museum.
"Corporate apathy toward art and artists is not that surprising," said Mr. Strauss. "In this case, we all knew that Ritz-Carlton had commercial interests, but we initially took their excitement about this artwork, the artists, and the event as being genuine. However, it appears that when their 9 million dollar penthouse didn't sell, corporate priorities shifted and they showed no real appreciation for the importance and value of these pieces. The loss of nearly 90 feet of murals by world-class artists is a tragedy. As a person who has committed his life to art and artists, I can't get my head around the indifference."
While I am very saddened that these fine artists have been robbed in such a way by corporate greed, I must say, it's a tough world out there folks, and if we were to play a little game of song association, here's the first lyrical tune that popped into my head while reading about AEG's foolish behavior..
Cash Rules Everything Around Me
C. R. E. A. M Get the money, dollar, dollar bill y'all
Yup. At least greed makes a tad bit more sense in Wu-Tang Clan form. Moral of this story is to have some morality & keep the peace! I'm really hoping that these artists get the apologies and restitution that they surely deserve.
