Artist Paints Fake 'Low Flying Planes' Sign Near Ground Zero

WNBC.com ^ | May 13, 2003

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

An artist who painted a fake "CAUTION Low Flying Planes" sign on a building near ground zero said Tuesday that he did not mean to offend anyone.

"If you take a low humor view of it, that's really in your mind, not mine," said artist James Peterson, who titled his acrylic-on-brick work "Caution: 2003." "It wasn't meant to be offensive."

But the painting, which includes an image of a flickering flame, has angered neighbors and provoked complaints to the city Landmarks Preservation Commission.

City Hall spokeswoman Lark Anton said a letter went out to the building's owner to remove the painting or apply to legalize it within 20 working days.

The building, a converted stable in Tribeca, falls under the landmarks commission's jurisdiction because it is in a historic district.

Speaking to reporters gathered outside the building, Peterson said he never applied for a permit or notified the building's owner, listed in city records as 17 Leonard St. Inc.

"I just did it," he said. "It was more of a guerrilla art piece."

Peterson, who is 36 and lives in Brooklyn, said he painted the 10-foot-by-14-foot artwork over the weekend.

"I was walking down the street one day and I saw a caution sign," he said. "It just all came together in my head. And then I was like, I just saw the wall and I went up and did it."

He said the painting was meant to as a memorial to the attack on the World Trade Center, a few blocks to the south.

"I was just trying to make a piece about what happened, like, after the second plane hit," he said. "Art, you know ... it doesn't just have to be pretty behind somebody's couch."

Christopher Roilph, who lives in the building, said he appreciated Peterson's point.

"The nature of art is that it changes your mind about things and causes you to have feelings," Roilph said.

Some passersby agreed while others said the painting should be removed.

"It's disturbing but I guess it wouldn't be art if it didn't disturb you in some way," said real estate agent Vanessa Low.

Donnahue Osbourne, an engineering technician, said the painting was not as offensive as vendors selling trade center souvenirs at the site.

But he added, "It doesn't fit. It just doesn't fit."

[ladyinred]

"It's disturbing but I guess it wouldn't be art if it didn't disturb you in some way," said real estate agent Vanessa Low.

What???? On which planet?

[wideminded]

People need to lighten up a little. Here's a quote I heard recently:

"Good art starts fights in bars."

[HitmanLV]

I lived in nyc and was cracking jokes about it before noon on 9-11.

I think you were one of the few, outside of the West Bank, anyway.

Hey, my humor was good natured, but not celebratory! n fact, I talked my coworker pal to hit the streets with me after lunch to look for distraught women to take advantage of!

[katnip]

I talked my coworker pal to hit the streets with me after lunch to look for distraught women to take advantage of!

How charming and gallant

[IowaHawk]

We must remember to support the arts. And by "art," I of course mean those various things produced by, or excreted by, artists who belong to the artistic community.

It is important for us to remember that in order to "push the envelope," artistic art must strive to be artistically provocative and controversial, like painting a Hitler mustache on a picture of Bush, and so on.

[habs4ever]

He understands the art zeitgeist: PR is the name of the game and the more controversial, the better.He is marketing himself, no more than that.

[Poohbah]

An artist who painted a fake "CAUTION Low Flying Planes" sign on a building near ground zero said Tuesday that he did not mean to offend anyone.

And I didn't mean to say that he was a dumb as a box of rocks.

[Billthedrill]

I dunno - it may be that the outrageous abuse of the right of free expression is the price we pay for having it in the first place. But if we have to put up with the deliberately offensive - and this fellow is a liar or simply stupid if he claims he didn't realize it was offensive - then why are we impelled to listen to people who complain that such things as the confederate flag must be removed from public places because it also offends?

[zip]

He's not an artist he's an attention getter

You're right, he has received his "15 minutes of fame", good or bad. Actually, he isn't an artist, he is a sign painter. period.

[Tribune7]

artist James Peterson

A-hole.

[IowaHawk]

"I guess it wouldn't be art if it didn't disturb you in some way," said real estate agent Vanessa Low.

I guess this means Hillary's fat ass belongs in the Louvre.

[Dog Gone]

I've been accused many times of trying to make light of a bad situation, so I know where you're coming from. But that was a profoundly disturbing day for me, and it wasn't until the Tourist Guy photo made its rounds that I could begin to think of it in less than completely serious terms.

This particular "art sign" doesn't bother me personally at all. I see the humor. But I think it's needlessly hurtful to people who will never see the humor, and for that I reason I think it was not a good idea.

[mhking]

Someone please find this guy, take him to a FDNY or NYPD station in lower Manhattan and allow nature to take it's course.

"Hold muh beer 'n watch this!" PING....

If you want on or off this list, please let me know!

[zip]

Hey, it's our tourist. Haven't seen him for a while. lol

[Fighter@heart]

"It was more of a guerrilla art piece." I'm thinking a "gorilla" has more artistic ability than this clown. I'd be glad to listen to his views on art, if he would allow me to "put a boot in his a$$ it's the American way" and introduce him to the beauty of country music. Seems fair to me

[Fawnn]

He's not an artist he's an attention getter.

Exactly! He's just a jerk who wanted his 15 minutes of fame.

[cubreporter]

He ought to paint a sign and wear it around his neck that says: "I am in need of attention."

[cubreporter]

No kidding. He knew what he was doing. Gosh, I wonder how it must feel to be that needy?

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

"It's disturbing but I guess it wouldn't be art if it didn't disturb you in some way," said real estate agent Vanessa Low.

Gee I’ve been in many of the best art museums in the west (Uffizi, Louvre, Academia, Vatican, Kusthistorisches, British Museum) and as long as I stay out of the Guggenheim in Venice and that modern art museum in Amsterdam, art never disturbs me.

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

...if he would allow me to "put a boot in his a$$ it's the American way" and introduce him to the beauty of country music.

BWAHAHAHAHA....

Now THAT is an excellent idea!