Have you heard of the graffiti artist—or vandal, depending on your persuasion—who goes by the name of Lewy BTM? Well, you’re about to, because the guy merits a level of fame (or infamy!) for this.

The last time the Brooklyn Bridge—a national landmark, you might remember—was adorned with graffiti was in 1998. Maybe this is because if you so much as repaint a single spot on it without the highest permissions of the land, the FBI will repaint your face with a federal crime (or something).

But as 12 Oz. Prophet reports, that didn’t stop a gentleman who goes by the name of Lewy BTM from hitting it on Tuesday night:

Though Lewy’s handiwork isn’t quite as polished as Sace and Year’s straight letters on the same spot, there is no doubt he hit it harder than ever before crushing three back-to-back-to-back solid fill-ins single handedly across the Manhattan Tower of the Brooklyn Bridge. Fucking beast!

Let us translate that for you:

“Sace and Year” = The tags of Fellow Urban Spray Painters

= The tags of Fellow Urban Spray Painters “Hit it” = Painted; also acts as a double-entendre, as it is slang for engaging in sexual congress with a woman.

= Painted; also acts as a double-entendre, as it is slang for engaging in sexual congress with a woman. “Crushing” = Adorning an object with one’s urban spray paint art.

= Adorning an object with one’s urban spray paint art. “Back-to-Back” = Consecutive.

= Consecutive. “Solid fill-ins” = Letters, filled in with paint, as opposed to single-lines or hollowed letters, done with skill.

= Letters, filled in with paint, as opposed to single-lines or hollowed letters, done with skill. “Fucking Beast!” = Huzzah!



“Fucking beast” indeed, young sir!

Animal New York’s Bucky Turco called the Department of Transportation to ask them what they valued the work at. They clearly don’t understand the market for federal vandalism:

ANIMAL contacted New York City’s Department of Transportation and a spokesperson dryly confirmed the unsanctioned fill-ins on the Manhattan tower of the iconic span and said that its been buffed: “Graffiti at this location was removed.”

Mr. Turco also fills in some historical context, as he explains those who “hit it” prior to this Lewy BTM fellow (including notoriously loved and reviled street artist Dash Snow—under the previously mentioned tag of “SACE”—who left a not-kind memo to then-mayor Rudolph Guliani on the bridge). But that was then, and this is now: Remember where you were (when you found out of something extraordinary, by which time, our local civic authorities had already done away with it).

Lewy Crushes the Brooklyn Bridge Harder Than Ever Before! [12 Oz. Prophet]

Brooklyn Bridge Bombed For The First Time In Over A Decade [ANIMAL NEW YORK]

fkamer@observer.com | @weareyourfek