(Mexican-American tagger) Vandal defaces Menil Collection Picasso - Repairs are under way...

Houston Chronicle ^ | By Molly Glentzer

[a fool in paradise]

Officials at the Menil Collection don't know why a man spray-painted Pablo Picasso's "Woman in a Red Armchair" at the museum, but the act wasn't caught just on surveillance cameras.

It also was captured by a bystander with a smartphone camera and subsequently posted on YouTube with a caption naming the alleged perpetrator as a young artist...

The damaged artwork, with the spray paint barely dry, was rushed down the hall to the museum's conservation lab, where chief conservator Brad Epley quickly began its repair.

The 1929 painting, one of nine by Picasso owned by the Menil, has "an excellent prognosis," Muse said.

The vandal, who has not been identified officially, stenciled a small image of a bullfighter killing a bull and the word "Conquista" on the painting. He fled and wasn't caught.

Houston Police spokesman Victor Senties said the vandalism was being investigated as a criminal mischief case. Anyone who witnessed the attack or has information is asked to call 713-308-0900.

KPRC (Channel 2) interviewed a man who said he captured the vandalism on his phone camera. The witness told Channel 2 the man identified himself as an up-and-coming Mexican-American artist looking to honor Picasso's work...

[a fool in paradise]

Heavy suspicion that the camera man and the vandal engaged in conspiracy to promote this crime.

In one report, the camera said he was texting and HAPPENED to see this so he started filming BEFORE the act of vandalism occurred. He also thought it was "cool" and even later ran into the vandal and talked to him about the meaning of the act.

[cripplecreek]

I’m no fan of Picasso but this guy needs to be severely punished and I don’t mean a slap on the wrist.

10 or 15 years would send a loud message.

[a fool in paradise]

Damage to millions of dollars of property and it is being treated as “mischief” by the HPD.

Then again, they have gotten lax about going after similar taggers who wheatpaste and stencil graffiti all over town. The bigger artists have gallery shows. The mayor knows who they are. Property owners are the ones held accountable, not the perps.

Culture of corruption in a Democrat run hellhole.

Chaos left unchecked leads to such assaults on INTERNAL private property.

Criminal mischief my ass. Try to put the painting up for auction with his tainting of the work.

[a fool in paradise]

His partner/publicist needs similar sentencing.

[MarineBrat]

The term “tagger” is offensive. Graffiti is the intellectual equivalent of a dog pissing on a fire hydrant. He’s a “Graffiti vandal.”

[a fool in paradise]

Tagging is the visual equivalent dog pissing on territory. It’s a way for a self-centered brat to say “look at ME!”.

Barack Obama knowingly hired such a crook (who illegally posted Bushitler stickers publicly) to design and illegally post his “HOPE”-”CHANGE” posters.

Liberals love it.

Tagging is something done on property you don’t own. It’s like licking your finger and touching food on an open tray saying “mine”, “mine”, “mine”.

Tagging a$$holes get angry when someone else tags near or over their work.

The local museums feed this vanity by selling a “how to” book of how to illegally wheatpost ‘art’ around town (and not get caught).

The MFAH showed this movie and the locally made followup/knockoff:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exit_Through_the_Gift_Shop

http://www.29-95.com/time-suck/story/stick-em-returns-houston-screens

The perp even had this group liked on his facebook page.

There is even local recognition in Village Voice’s local publication:

http://www.houstonpress.com/bestof/2011/award/best-wheat-paste-and-10-poster-artist-2674702/

You encourage these douchebags and they will do it for rep and street cred.

[a fool in paradise]

Just as “flash mobs” are not the harmless prank that some think they are. It’s way to quickly mobilize a diversion or patsies in a protest or riot.

[dsrtsage]

anybody caught tagging, should have “Hello Kitties” and other 10 year old girlie stuff, tatooed all over their foreheads

[Max in Utah]

Tagging a$$holes get angry when someone else tags near or over their work.

Ironic, isn't it?

I like to imagine that a .22 bullet in a kidney would slow them down a bit.

[SunkenCiv]

“Woman in a Red Armchair” s/b “Woman in a Red Armchair with some Graffiti”. Thanks a fool in paradise. A Pick-Ass-Oh ping.

[MarineBrat]

I refuse to use the word “tagging” when related to this. I say “graffiti vandalism” or something equivalent. Same as calling a sodomite “gay.” I won’t do it.