Mark Ecko won a victory yesterday (August 22) against New York City and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, when a judge ordered the city to reinstate a permit for Mark Ecko Enterprises to conduct an outdoor art exhibition featuring graffiti artists and images of subway cars.
Judge Jed Rakoff ruled yesterday that Ecko’s proposed graffiti exhibit is protected by the First Amendment.
Ecko Enterprises originally received a permit on July 18 for a block party designed to present graffiti as an art form, but it was revoked after the Mayor raised concerns about promoting graffiti, a issue that has plagued the city for years.
Ecko Enterprises has offered to disavow unlawful conduct by making statements discouraging unlawful graffiti at the art exhibition itself or by organizing artists to convey that message in the public schools.
The Graffiti Exhibit will take place on August 24th on West 22nd St. between 10th and 11th Avenues in New York City.
Ecko invited Mayor Bloomberg to attend shortly after the ruling.Mark Ecko won a victory yesterday when a judge called on New York City to reinstate a permit for Mark Ecko Enterprises to conduct an outdoor art exhibition featuring graffiti artists and images of subway cars.
Judge Jed Rakoff ruled yesterday (August 22) that Ecko’s proposed graffiti exhibit is protected by the First Amendment.
“By the same token, presumably, a street performance of ‘Hamlet’ would be tantamount to encouraging revenge or murder,” Rakoff reasoned. “As for a street performance of ‘Odepius Rex,’ don’t event think about it.”
Ecko Enterprises originally received a permit on July 18 for a block party designed to present graffiti as an art form.
Ecko Enterprises has offered to disavow unlawful conduct by making statements discouraging unlawful graffiti at the art exhibition itself or by organizing artists to convey that message in the public schools.
The Graffiti Exhibit will take place on August 24th on West 22nd St. between 10th and 11th Avenues in New York City.
