By Jordan Melnick | June 11th, 2012 | 23 Comments

Public art by Romero Britto, the artist most identified with Miami around the world, is a frequent and easy target for graffiti bombers. His “Beach Ball” in Miami Shores, a sculpture sporting Britto’s trademark bright colors and pop-art patterns, got the treatment last June when some blunt vandal scrawled the words “Not Art” across it with red spray paint. Then, in July of 2011, someone — maybe the same someone — tagged the same sculpture with the words “Meaningless Bliss” and “error”.

The latest: This past Saturday, the day of Second Saturdays Art Walk, someone who apparently goes by the name “C Dog” tagged Britto’s new Wynwood space, at 146 N.W. 25th Street, in huge white letters (photo via Yo Miami).

Update: This photo by @305creative (shared via Instagram) shows that Britto (or an assistant or two) painted over C Dog’s scrawl with a burst of color, sunny imagery, and a bit of advice: “Make Art Not War”.

As is usual when anything Britto gets vandalized, some people are applauding the vandal (“Thats what he gets for covering the murals that were done during Basel”) while others, including some Britto crtics, are condemning the illegal expression of contempt for an artist who many consider a paint-by-numbers hack, an opportunist, and/or an ersatz ambassador of Miami creativity.

Where many find agreement is that this was bound to happen, that it was “only a matter of time” before Britto’s Wynwood location got “bombed”. In a neighborhood that is home to many art galleries and many street murals, many of them commissioned works, a few questions arise:

Is uncommissioned graffiti an appropriate expression of criticism against an artist just because lots of people feel an aversion toward him and his work? Is uncommissioned graffiti — i.e., illegal graffiti — appropriate period? Is “legal graffiti” an oxymoron and, if so, does Britto’s flower-studded wall deserve to be vandalized more than any of the commissioned murals in Wynwood, which are offensive to some old-school graffiti artists who feel their beloved art form has been co-opted by property owners looking to cash in on the “urban aesthetic”?

Yes, these questions have the stench of the rhetorical, but you can dispel it by leaving a response or introducing new questions in the comment section.

[View the story “Britto’s Wynwood space deflowered with graffiti” on Storify]

Britto’s Wynwood space deflowered with graffiti Many expected this to happen, but the latest act of animosity-fueled vandalization of a Romero Britto landmark in Miami raises the question: Is this just deserts for an art opportunist or an act of juvenile delinquency deserving of condemnation? Storified by Jordan Melnick · Mon, Jun 11 2012 16:25:13 Comment on Instagram : “You ask any artist in Miami if they would be willing to ‘sell out’ (brand themselves like Britto does, for the exchange of major success (money), they all secretly would say ‘hell yeah’.” — @artofmiami @beachedmiami @faden2blackpicks well.. its not like pissing off business owners and dissing other artists is a new thing for graffiti.Michael Montuori @beachedmiami @dorschgallery @LestersMiami @GalleryDiet @panthercoffee @WoodTavern It’s hateful.Verena Faden Agree. “@WoodTavern: @beachedmiami @dorschgallery @LestersMiami @panthercoffee Flat out wrong…Regardless of your opinion of Britto.”Craig Chester @BillyCorben @BeachedMiami The problem here is the tacky people who continue to commission Brito’s work and make him think he is an artist.shantelle rodriguez @beachedmiami @dorschgallery @LestersMiami @GalleryDiet @panthercoffee Flat out wrong…Regardless of your opinion of Britto.Wood Tavern @BillyCorben @BeachedMiami Romero was my neighbor for years and a good friend, many don’t know the charitable things he does for kidsLaundering Money Truth! RT @dorschgallery: @BillyCorben @beachedmiami Wynwood is Safer than the 395 causewayJorge Fernandez Comment on Facebook : “FYI: Britto is to Wynwood Walls what Banksy is to the modern day art gallery…the only difference being a commission money. I wonder if we’d have more respect for him if he’d gone on hiatus so he can “bomb” a few walls at Merrick Park or Midtown. Britto has paid his dues and owes no explanations why his definition of art means cartoonish flowers and smiling faces. What interests me the most is, who the f*ck is C-Dog and who asked for his two-cents???” — Richard Chinchilla @beachedmiami The street decides. You earn your cred. #Britto hasn’t earned it, hasn’t tried.Alessandro Abate @beachedmiami if #Britto can’t take the heat, he should get out of #Wynwood. He has many other venues for his “art”.Alessandro Abate @sandro Who gets to decide street cred? There are plenty of galleries in Wynwood that lack street cred and probably don’t want any.Jordan Melnick @beachedmiami Britto is an interloper. Aside from his work, he has no street cred & doesn’t belong in Wynwood.Alessandro Abate Britto’s Wynwood gallery "bombed" over the weekend. Deserved or destructive? Read more at http://www.beachedmiami.com/2012/06/11/romero-britto-wynwood-gallery-graffiti-bombed/ (photo via YOmiami)Jordan Melnick politics of graffiti “@beachedmiami: Comment: "whats made wynwood safe IS the graffiti" Agree? http://www.beachedmiami.com/2012/06/11/romero-britto-wynwood-gallery-graffiti-bombed/ #britto #wynwood #miami"Victor CASTRO Comment on Facebook : “No publicity is bad publicity… I’m sure the Britto branding and PR people have an orgasm everytime another piece is vandalized.” — Johnny Saraiva @BillyCorben @beachedmiami Wynwood is Safer than the 395 causewayBrook Dorsch @beachedmiami Wynwood is safe???Billy Corben Comment: "whats made wynwood safe IS the graffiti" Agree? http://www.beachedmiami.com/2012/06/11/romero-britto-wynwood-gallery-graffiti-bombed/ #britto #wynwood #miami #graffitiJordan Melnick @beachedmiami @LestersMiami @GalleryDiet @panthercoffee @WoodTavern hurts Wynwd businesses, the bad overshadows the good, brings us all downBrook Dorsch Wynwood residents (@dorschgallery, @LestersMiami, @GalleryDiet, @panthercoffee, @WoodTavern), what say you? http://www.beachedmiami.com/2012/06/11/romero-britto-wynwood-gallery-graffiti-bombed/Jordan Melnick Comment on Facebook : “I understand that people do not like the “disneyized” version of Britto, but as a person involved in arts education, I have to share that last week I received a phone call from a woman who organizes an elementary/middle school art program and annual gallery night (a program I had once organized myself) and for the first time, the group decided to teach a local artist rather than just the “masters.” I contacted the Britto store and they sent us lesson plans and other material without cost. By studying Britto, the students were able to identify with an artist and become excited about the art they produced. And, they had their most responsive and successful Gallery Night to date. Artists should read the ABN article on the advantages of artists licensing their work. It allows them to receive a nice income, give exposure to their work, and sustain future projects.” — Lisa Morales The only thing uglier than Britto… RT @MiamiHerald Britto’s new #Wynwood space ‘bombed’ by graffiti http://hrld.us/LkgvkbLauren Doyle Owens Y E P RT @beachedmiami: Britto’s Wynwood gallered deflowered by graffiti. Ok with you? http://www.beachedmiami.com/2012/06/11/romero-britto-wynwood-gallery-graffiti-bombed/ #miamiElizabeth Figueredo Comment on Facebook : “Jealous punks…” — Timothy Brenden Stout @beachedmiami Not surprised about Britto deflowered…esp in W’wood. Isn’t W’wood the antidote to Britto? Not condoning, just sayin.Gold Dust Lounge As expected, Britto’s Wynwood gallery deflowered by graffiti. Is this just deserts for an art opportunist? http://www.beachedmiami.com/2012/06/11/romero-britto-wynwood-gallery-graffiti-bombed/ #miamiJordan Melnick Britto’s new #Wynwood space ‘bombed’ by graffiti http://hrld.us/LkgvkbThe Miami Herald Britto’s Wynwood location "bombed"? #Miami http://instagr.am/p/LuGUEikhq9/Isa Gabaldón

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