Art, vandalism or civil disobedience? “Fire extinguisher graffiti” splashed on Detroit buildings

By on 629 Comments

The nearly 90-year-old CPA building on Michigan Avenue is streaked with turquoise paint, and its ornate, limestone entrance defaced.

On the east side, an abandoned dollar store and vacant house along Chene also were targeted with the same erratic paint patterns, presumably from a fire extinguisher packed with paint, over the past few days.

The motive is unclear. It’s hard to imagine something so ugly and obnoxious as art.

Is it just vandalism or is someone trying to make a statement on blight?

Remember when a group of artists painted the sides of houses bright orange in 2006 to draw attention to derelict buildings?

Whatever the case, the “fire extinguisher” graffiti adds to the increasingly juvenile tags that are consuming Detroit’s abandoned restaurants, schools, houses, churches and commercial buildings. Virtually nothing is off limits for some vandals.

 

  , , , , , , , ,

Art, vandalism or civil disobedience? “Fire extinguisher graffiti” splashed on Detroit buildings added by on
View all posts by Steve Neavling →

Steve Neavling

Steve Neavling lives and works in Detroit as an investigative journalist. His stories have uncovered corruption, led to arrests and reforms and prompted FBI investigations.