NYC developer must pay $6.7M for painting over graffiti art, judge rules

[TexasTowelie]

Feb. 12 (UPI) -- A New York City developer must pay $6.7 million to 21 graffiti artists after he painted over their artwork, a judge ruled Monday.

The judgement ends a dispute that had been ongoing since 2013, when real estate developer Jerry Wolkoff, whitewashed over murals that were painted on the walls of the 5 Pointz complex he owned. He then turned the building into luxury apartments in 2014.

But the murals weren't everyday graffiti. They were part of what 21 of the artists called "the world's largest open-air aerosol museum," and they sued Wolkoff under the Visual Artists Rights Act, which protects public art of "recognized stature" that has been created on someone's else property, The New York Times reported.

In November, a jury ruled in favor of the artists and on Monday, Judge Frederic Block handed down the judgment.

Read more: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2018/02/13/NYC-developer-must-pay-67M-for-painting-over-graffiti-art-judge-rules/9191518496490/

[Princess Turandot]

1. Good! You can see this place in Google Street View from 2013...

Murals: https://goo.gl/maps/ZhVXpzSBN212

After they were painted over: https://goo.gl/maps/ri8HV5vbVdN2

The buildings are now gone.

Real-estate developers are the biggest assholes in the business world, imo.

[customerserviceguy]

2. With that kind of money involved

expect him to appeal this all the way to the SCOTUS.

It's interesting to live in a world that regards what used to be considered vandalism with the same respect accorded to endangered species. Expect that to be his lawyers' arguments at appeal.