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Kenny Scharf Arrested For Graffiti In Bushwick, Finds Cops Are Fans
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Apr 22, 2013
Modified Apr 22, 2013
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Apr 22, 2013
Modified Apr 22, 2013
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Famous graffiti artist Kenny Scharf was arrested early Saturday morning in Bushwick for plying his trade. According to an NYPD spokesman, officers found Scharf in front of 209 Morgan Avenue at 1:03 a.m. in possession of "two spraycans which he used to paint a snake on the wall of the establishment." ArtSucks reports that Scharf wrote on his Facebook page that his arresting officers weren't total Philistines: "Cops who arrested me were fans and wanted to talk about exit through the gift shop and even liked the tag."
Facebook via ArtSucks
ArtSucks found out about Scharf's arrest because the artist was a no-show at Michael Alan's living installation. "Just Spent 20 hours in 2 Brooklyn jails for this," Scharf wrote on his Facebook page next to a photo of the snake he painted. Signage on the building designates it as Creative Tube Bending, Inc.
Scharf reveals more on his Facebook page:
at the first holding cell in Williamsburg (there were only 5people in the cell) the police were googling me and asking about things like the tunnel nightclub…Just got up from my wonderful cozy bed so thankful i got out last night otherwise i would have been in till monday and that would be beyond torture. it was intense and demeaning and im so grateful that ive got a nice clean home! the felons and thugs were all nice to me and i feel bad about their lives in and out of there constantly...I was in there 30 years ago and im sorry to say its much worse now. Kind of like hell.
Scharf, 55, is charged with making graffiti [PDF], a class A misdemeanor, and possession of a graffiti instrument, a class B misdemeanor.
Tagged
art
bushwick
graffiti art
kenny scharf
nypd
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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