Infringement Leaves Its Mark

Our own little version of 5pointz.

http://5ptz.com/graff/

uh oh - mixed messages

Hmmm... I talked to the building's owner when the first graffiti appeared, he said that it was temporary and that it would be removed once the festival was over...seems like he wasn't telling the truth. It's hardly appropriate in an historic district where building owners have to comply with multiple guidelines for renovations.

Wrong part of Allentown for that. It is a hideous way of trying to attract a tenant. With nearby improvements like Loco, Cakery, and the renovated space south of Colzumel - this idea/attempt to market space is pathetic.

I like it. We could use some more well done graffiti in this town. Beside I don't see how it is much different from the brightly colored houses on that block, it will fit in just fine. And since its not a historic building why not have some fun

Hate it. The property owner should be flogged.

Graffiti is not art. It's vandalism. You want to express yourself? Go on YouTube or buy a blank canvas, you cheap adolescent shit. This kind of permissive attitude makes the vandalism problem worse, and the owner should be cited and dragged into housing court for encouraging such an eyesore.

It is un-*@*#-believable that a responsible property owner gets hauled into city hall for making expensive and attractive, yet "unauthorized" improvements to his "historic" property, but some scumbag with a can of spray paint gets written up and lauded in Buffalo Rising. Allentown is already enough of a dump without BRO or anybody else encouraging this kind of useless garbage.

Shameful.

This looks disgusting - and should NOT promote this type of activity. Cooincidently I've noticed the same mickey skull-like graphic on other buildings and that person should be identified and ARRESTED as such. I hope the BPD comes in on this and I hope the building owner is written up/charged with code violations. This does not send a positive message to investors or people returning/coming to the city.

I hope it is removed soon. I think the folks at Buffalo RIsing should not be positive about this. TWO THUMBS DOWN

This looks disgusting - and should NOT promote this type of activity. Coincidentally I've noticed the same mickey skull-like graphic on other buildings and that person should be identified and ARRESTED as such. I hope the BPD comes in on this and I hope the building owner is written up/charged with code violations. This does not send a positive message to investors or people returning/coming to the city.

I hope it is removed soon. I think the folks at Buffalo RIsing should not be positive about this. TWO THUMBS DOWN

I admit that when I first saw this, I thought that the owner would have a surprise on Monday morning. Turns out he was asked permission by Infringement folks and readily gave it. Why do we assume that all street artists are "scumbags" or have nothing better to do? This is not tagging to mark territory like some poorly-scrawled names in one color for criminal purposes. Believe it or not, this kind of complex work takes talent and dedication. Street art frequently takes the form of imagery, but sometimes it's in words like this. Allentown is a unique place, where unique expressions are generally embraced, and while you may not appreciate the work, does it mean that it's bad or wrong? Finally, I heard that the owner would paint over the imagery soon and that it was, indeed, meant to be a temporary exhibit. Perhaps Curt of Infringement was just musing about what HE would like to see on the outside, were he to own the place. Let's not jump to conclusions before we know the whole story.

I love it. You're not going to find this kind of vibe in the suburbs. I also love the density this building gives to this block. The sidewalk is close to curb too...Sorry if this is a little jumbled, I just got back from happy hour at Bric Haus

I do not think graffiti artists are scumbags. They have a unique talent. But, there is a place for everything. This particular work of art is out of place. Otherwise, it would not have been written about right here on this platform itself.

This is not art, this is not clever (like the mural that was tastefully just done on Main St.) This is bush-league vandalism, Buffalo-style. I hope they fine the $%$# out of the owner and force him to remove it.

Whether or not you agree that graffiti is an art, it stands as a fact that if this building is in the Historic District, the owner must obtain a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission. They should have done so before allowing the painting.

1994 wants its fad back.

I have a garage on an alley and it's not uncommon to find graffiti on my garage doors. I actually thought about offering it up to an artist as a canvas... you know, can't beat 'em let them paint on your garage doors.

Dumb in a whole host of ways. Including the fact this graffiti doesn't come close to rising to the level of street art.

I know Buffalo Rising seems to have a soft-spot for graffiti, but the double-standard is a little ridiculous.

If this same house was on the East Side and the owner didn't cover up graffiti tags, everyone would say it was a typical absentee slumlord that should be fined. But put the building in Allentown and associate it with the Infringement Festival and suddenly it's art and hip?

It's crap. It's illegal. Paint over it.

I saw this today and was surprised, taken aback even. I don't think it works, at all. I am open to street art that is special and breathtaking and even maybe a bit thought provoking, something that would have to work in a unique way with the history and the building, and be beautiful. An off the wall idea if it just flowed better...But this does not do it for me. And I know you can't censor an artist's art, but we should honor the community with something that gives proper dues and respect to the people that have to look at it. Doesn't have to be an epic undertaking but just get someone with a vision and a different design palette for this sad building.

Or you know, just clean it up and keep it tasteful and nice to look it, and leave it be, then maybe a tenant would move in, something that could be a great asset to the people around it. The owner should give it a facelift, doesn't have to be too fancy. It's hard for me to tell what this building may have looked like originally, or when it was built really with the front looking so.. I don't know.. undescriptive. It's okay not everything can be historic splendor on Elmwood, though that would be wonderful. We must work with what we have. In any case I hate to see it looking like this. Just my two cents.

Yikes! This isn't art because it doesn't fit into my narrow description of art and things that are not art make me ANGRY!

This could work...if Buffalo had a neighborhood akin to Brick Lane in London; where they pride themselves in their graffiti(becoming a side tourist attraction besides the Indian restaurants,hipster bars, markets, and cafes). But Allentown is not it.

To be fair, London also has Banksy and other high class graffiti artists; who makes the graffiti tagged on the building look juvenile in comparison.

For all the graffiti haters here, check out some of Banksy's work. Its ten steps ahead, and has a worthy place in the artsphere. Most of you wont even recognize it as graffiti.

i want to see those supposed u2 autographs. owners have been known to make baseless historical claims for their buildings.

evryone thinks they are a "artist" this does look like crap!!

To me, it looks like tags. Illegible words and names scrawled as big and bold as possible. Art? I dunno. Ugly? Definitely.

Graffiti can be beautiful murals that add an artistic city vibe, or they can look like something you'd find haphazardly scrawled on an overpass. Guess which one this looks like? Maybe this falls into the category of an interesting idea, terribly executed.

The fact that everyone hates this graffiti shows that Allentown and Elmwood are not real urban communities anymore they're just gentrified neighborhoods filled with yuppies that might as well be located in the suburbs.

Whether or not you think it looks good or it's ugly, graffiti is something that happens in cities and it adds character. It's real, plain and simple, and it's human expression.

If you don't like it then you should move to the artificial and fake suburbs where people don't interact with one another and you live behind a hedgerow.

Theres a difference between someone offering up his/ her building for the artists to paint and someone just feeling free to mark up someones property, whether public or private without their consent. Yes, graffiti is artistic but it can also be extremely selfish and illegal. This acceptance of more and more as just being part of a city is ridiculous, its a race to the bottom where everyone accepts everything, anything, and becomes numb to it. Should we accept the murder rate in the city as something that just happens too? Its a very fine line between positive urban character and nuisance. Was the graffiti party that took place at the expense of Marcy Casino and the Ivy Bridge in Delware Park in 2011 just something the public should accept as a positive character addition? I liken that to a dog pi$$ing to mark his territory, very animal like. Here we go again with the suburb bashing. Glad we think as a region in WNY. If the burbs took off tomorrow I wonder how the city would be? You can kiss a majority of the regions population good by, the Sabres good by, the Bills good by, many of the public institutions would no longer have a market size to support them. I think at this point the city and burbs are all in this together. The competition is distant states and cities and countries abroad. When will WNY get that?

The average person passing by probably won't realize this graffiti was "approved" by the building owner. It screams blight to the passerby.

Also, those Mickey skull things are hideous. The prick hipster/artist wannabe who puts those up should be arrested.

The owner would do a lot better to fix the property, paint the door, and repair the awful concrete sealing job on the base of the wall. Those things drag the whole look of the building down more than the spray paint and, for the haters, what's the difference between graffiti and murals? If I start tagging with oil paints does that make it art? What's the difference between tagging and utility companies obnoxious and ugly markings all over my city and even gardens and yards? What decorative elements are acceptable and which ones aren't? Billboards are the worst kind of graffiti, they are imposing, ugly and obnoxious. Blue Cross and Fucillo and Clear Channel and Lamar and Outdoor Advertising should be flogged and dragged into court. For that matter street signs, asphalt, and utility poles are all ruining my visual appreciation of the world lets get rid of all of those too! Also, that shirt you wore yesterday was hideous, don't do that ever again.

I love the fact that people here are taking the attitude that this would be ok if they liked the way the art looked. Also saying that it isn't art. Has no one ever heard of Duchamp and his work Fountain? He made an excellent point with it.

I must say that I'm truly disappointed in Buffalo today because most of the commenters on here who claim to love art and cite it as one the reasons they live in Allentown or The EV are proving to be no more than close-minded yuppies who live where they do because it's trendy.

Way to remind be that Buffalo is a backwater town filled with people just a little bit more sophisticated than Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel from The Simpsons.

THIS IS SO FAKE!

Why don't we hire some Vandals to "stage" a vandalism at a property... I know this is a subculture, and that they think of themselves as artists, but they are not and this is VANDALISM! Grafitti IS VANDALISM. TAGS ARE VANDALISM.

This is indefensible, kind of embarrassing for the building owner and this website quite frankly. Attract tennants...pff. How about scare them off!

For those of you with so much anger and hate in your hearts, I hope you find some peace because that shit will kill you.

As far as I understand there was specific permission given for this project making it a legal project, and therefore not vandalism. Whether or not you like it or hate it, these are people who have picked up a skill, practice it and are trying to better themselves and the community. I'm sure plenty of people disagree.

How about we start encouraging the young productive creatives who want to work legally and take pride in their work and their community.

And here's the good news if you hate it that much you can buy the building and paint it grey. Just like the rest of this colorless city.

It is art, I just don't think it is the 'right' art for the building... I believe community should have input. I live right on Elmwood, in fact I'm a student and I don't live in a really expensive house, I live in an apartment. I appreciate art, I practice it, I enjoy the history. I'm familiar with graffiti art, and I do find beauty in it, but like someone said above this isn't the right place for it. This doesn't make sense here. It may however make sense other places. People don't understand it quick enough for it not be considered blight.

Also if everyone on the street is supposed to be held to the same standards, then this debate is moot, because them's the rules... someone would have to reform that process first : )

Basically, this "event" gives license to those graffiti "artists" to continue with other properties citing "art."

And the article wasn't clear if it actually is going to be revolving art or not, it sounds like the idea came up after the fact (which isn't really kosher either, but this is a unique circumstance with infringement, so who knows?)then well maybe it would do some good, at least UNTIL someone wants to rent the place. The graffiti art could get painted over with something new and so on and so on, then we go can back in retrospect and ponder. Maybe the whole point of the graffiti art was to make us talk about this 'what is art and what isn't?' well then it did it's job and I would look forward to the next thing.

And I just think a lot of people who are repulsed by people not liking it don't get the importance of community and planning in regards to a healthy neighborhood. People need to feel positive about where they live.

This goes out to cpt. picard, you crab if it hurts yours eyes don't look. You're the kid that took his football or hockey net home cause you suck at life. Grow up babygirl. Buffalo needs a breath of fresh air. As a gaff artist I will blow that shit out the the water but it's there, stop crying, go home and kick your dog, beat your wife - I don't care. Props to bflorising for acknowledging real art

Dana Saylor ─ re: "This is not tagging to mark territory like some poorly-scrawled names in one color for criminal purposes. Believe it or not, this kind of complex work takes talent and dedication."

I co-sign your comments. They have artistic value. Also, it's intriguing to see the spray-on process.

This type of graffiti seems to be gaining appreciation with a broadening range of people. (Even HGTV has featured VERY expensive homes that sported authentic grafitti commissioned for the owners children's lavish "play rooms" and bedrooms.)

Some opposition opinions are perhaps the result of negative perceptions of the artists rather than a fair examination/weighing of their creative product.

The person interviewed, Curt, is not the owner, and the article doesn't explain how Curt knows about the property. Apparently, this is an interview of a random 'infringer' who was just passing by. It would have been nice to hear what the owner has to say.

I'm heading out tonight to tag the tags on this property. Watch for the black streak across it all tonight. My show starts at 2:00am for anyone who is interested in my exhibit.

I'm for it. Street art and graffiti are not one in the same, and it just happens this artist's medium delivers paint from an aerosol can. Allentown is such an interesting place, during the day it prides itself on it's historic preservation, after dark it becomes the home to the creative and hip. Ask any twenty something to describe Allentown and you'll probably get a picture that allows a building such as this. That's my interpretation, and I respect any opposing views. But this building is looking for a purpose and the best it can do is becoming a canvas for some street artist. Something fitting about that in a city with the same troubles, no?

I'm with Cpt. Picard. I own three properties in the city, one in an historic pres. district and every single change to my property has to be within the guidelines, and for good reason. Why is this property owner allowed to do this? Does graffiti meet historic preservation guidelines? If I owned a property next door to this awful sight I would park my butt outside Brown's office until I got a satisfactory answer. I also agree with the fact that Picard speaks for the majority of property owners in Allentown. Property owners want their properties to hold their values or (gasp) increase and graffiti on a storefront won't accomplish that.

Some disjointed ideas from a man who knows loss,

I find it funny that people living in a "fun and edgy" urban environment are complaining about something fun and edgy.

Newsflash: City living involves a little more excitement. Excitement involves a little danger, adventure, and controversy.

This is what happens when an area of the city has "artists", things like this are why people like Allentown.

I am sorry that you can't cheap out and put in glass block in your overpriced rental apartment.

You can't live your life running draw plays on third down.

Go Bills!

That sleazy storefront should be ripped down, even without the grafitti.

Oxymoron Of The Day: "Grafitti Culture" .

While I'm not personally a fan of what the artists did with this space, I'm excited to finally see an open wall made for artists. This is simply one style of writing, so to the people that are thinking this solely represents what this wall will look like in the future; relax. I hope to see more artists drawn to this wall, thus increasing the quality/diversity of the work.

Re: people that are up in arms about historic preservation of allentown,

I find all the preservation stuff a little over the top at times. Is Buffalo more in the business of preserving culture or creating it? Just a thought.

PS - I find the Cellino and Barnes billboard on Allen more offensive than a tag any day. Those guys are gross.

http://www.facebook.com/daddysgaragebuffalo

http://www.facebook.com/events/320257854730430/

you wanna see real graffiti art? and whats really going on in buffalo. go to this event.