Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Street Art Causes Bomb Scare



The LAPD shut down a busy Metro station and brought in the bomb squad to diffuse a piece of street art yesterday.

The 'device' as it is being called, was a piece of street art by Free Humanity from his 'Forbidden Fruit'. It featured an apple (a real, edible, apple--not a shiny plastic one or any sort of 'bomb-looking' item), with a grenade top affixed to the stem. It was left hanging by a string in a tree in downtown Los Angeles.

It had been hanging there in the sun for over a week, so we can assume it was probably somewhat shriveled at the time, but still, most definitely, an apple. When yesterday, an ex-marine walked by and saw it in the tree and alerted the authorities. And that's when things got out of hand. Instead of identifying it for what it was, an apple, the LAPD responded as if it were a real threat, sent in a bomb squad and and shut down the nearby Metro. According to the local news report, they thought the 'device' might explode when pulled from the string.

While we appreciate the LAPD doing all they can to keep people safe, it seems that common sense should play some sort of a role in what the LAPD deems a legitimate threat. And if a decorated apple is a threat, what next?

And the way the local news has covered this story is also pretty ridiculous and slanted. Throughout the newscast, they refer to it as a 'device' or 'item', and the only time an apple is even mentioned is about the guy who spotted it when they say 'at first, he thought it was an apple'. They even go on to say that the 'item' was detonated to see how the incendiary device, if any, worked, and left it open ended as if there were any such device. Of course, no such device was found. But that, or mentioning that the suspicious item was only an apple after all, were never even mentioned in the newscast. Its poor reporting, purposefully oriented to steer the viewer towards thinking the item was something that it was not.

This whole scene is very similar what happened a few years ago in Boston, when the Boston Police overreacted to some street LED marketing for Aqua Teen Hunger Force, calling it a potential terrorist plot.

Some people mentioned on the blog that they didn't understand what this piece was about. But now, it seems this story has given the piece context, and this fruit, truly is forbidden~

44 comments:

  1. Free Humanity trying a little too hard to be like Banksy.

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  2. Eh, I'm with the cops on this one.

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  3. How is he trying too hard to be Banksy? He has original ideas and carries them out with his own style. Unless you are talking about the fact that he uses street art as his outlet to express his opinion about politics and social commentary. Dont get me wrong, I love Banksy but he isn't the only artist who can speak his mind through public art and anyone doing the same is copying him. In that case Banksy copied Blek le Rat with his stencil rats he uses in his art.

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  4. Ever since Exit Through the Gift Shop came out, everyone thinks they're a street artist. All these idiots putting dummies on the streets, come up with an original idea! Try to do something Banksy has NOT already done! I've got mad respect for ANY street artist who comes ORIGINAL with art. Anyone can use street art to express themselves, but going out any buying a dummy at a store and dressing it up? That seems more like playing dress up with dolls then ART!!!Fuck all these wanna be street artists who put dummies in trees. Stop doing what Banksy already DID.

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  5. Just because Banksy ripped off Blek le Rat doesn't make it cool to rip off other peoples ideas. The doll thing is WAY played out. Banksy already did it in a movie that most of you idiots already saw. Shortly after every wanna be Artist in LA see's Exit Through The Gift Shop, they then proceed to place dolls around LA?? How is this NOT ripping off Banksy's idea??

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  6. Did I miss something? Free's not the one doing the life-sized human dolls, is he?

    It is interesting that the media doesn't mention they were just apples.

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  7. Anonymous carries a big voice...Free Humanity a bigger voice

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  8. i told the cops that it was F.H.

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  9. uhhhh this is about apple grenades Banksy never did that?

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  10. Uhh- what's all this talk about dolls? Wasn't it a tree with 'grenade apples' in it? Love or hate the piece, I don't think it smacks of being a Banksy rip off at all. Personally I think it's a bit easy to use 'weapon' imagery and fruit but honestly, the only valid criticism of a piece of art is making something you think it better so who cares what anyone thinks?

    I will say, my concerns go out to Free Humanity as cops aren't known for their senses of humor and since everyone knows this was FH's he might be in some deep shish tonight. Secret identity or not, all the cops have to do is call the LA Times or go to one of those gallery shows. Let's not forget that Turner Broadcasting gave a million bucks to the Boston Police Department and the general manager of Cartoon Network stepped down because of the Aqua Teen scare. No publicity is bad publicity but jail time sucks. Just ask Revok.

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  11. When did banksy do a apple grenade damn i missed that one

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  12. I was stuck in the traffic caused by this. The only people walking around these parts are artsy people or junk-out people. Might the x-marine belong to one of these demographics. An apple is an apple is an apple.

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  13. Stay safe tonight free!

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  14. former marine in downtown
    must have been a homeless veteran
    Maybe this is what Free is trying to talk about

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  15. Free Humanity is all about the money. Just read the LA Weekly Interview.
    Hes boasting about being the first to do this and to do that... sure buddy, not the first or the last.
    Then he goes on to say that his show will be as big as Mr Brainwash. He obviously saw Exit Through the Gift Shop one too many times. Why would a "concious" or "political" artist EVER want to be compared or mention Mr Brainwash, who is just a pop-artist, not much of an artist at all, actually.
    The point of street art is to make a point, a point that makes people think when they see it. The apple thing was dumb and must have been some kinda inside point he was trying to get across. Well, judging by the comments and blogs, everyone missed it.
    FH is just trying to be the next big thing and for the wrong reasons. Guy is about the money.

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  16. i live in that neighborhood and am not artsy nor a junkie, but thanks for the stereotype. I am curios why Free wants to blow up my hood.

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  17. Yea Free is all about the money
    that's why he works to beautify cities
    Screw Free Humanity For bringing beautiful things to the world

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  18. I hope he is arrested and has to pay back the tax money that went into this scare. It is too bad they don't have a charge for poor taste. Maybe he can sell some of his paintings that he thinks are going to be "worth a lot of money" to pay the city back.

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  19. Free Humanity its too bad they don't have a charge for poor taste and for being a complete idiot. You should be ashamed. You're just another Banksy wannabe.

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  20. Corporatization of food?

    Monsanto?

    Instead of hating people should be questioning

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7812548160862207272#

    http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/dr_hubers_warning/

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  21. don't let the marine loose in an apple tree field

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  22. Free Humanity is doing the same shit that China has been doing for years. Ripping off peoples ideas and trying to make it their own. Free Humanity is making money off mindless ideas! Free Humanity, you dressed up a doll that you bought and put it in a tree (with and apple). And you're still a Banksy wannabe, and should have nothing to do with the ART world...Go play with dolls in China

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  23. This is a great social commentary of our heightened sense of fear due to the war on terror and on many other levels Genius

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  24. It's a fucking apple...Free sure exposed all the drama queens with this one...the funny thing is that it hung there for a week before the tears started to poor. I understand the potential threat here but, the bomb squad? I would be more afraid of the homeless cracky trying to eat it. Like him or not, this dude gets up...BC.

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  25. The moron saying that FH is just thying to "beatify cities" obviously didnt read the LA Weekly article the guy was talking about. FH is money hungry even talking about how his art will be "worth ridiculous amounts of money someday". Educate yourself before you talk about beutifying cities. Dont get fooled by Wanna-Be Banksy's only after the money.
    Oh yeah, and the apple thing is lame.

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  26. There are more alleged street artists getting up in random galleries than they are in the streets.

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  27. Another bomb scare in DTLA yesterday: http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_17982292?nclick_check=1

    Bomb Squad is busy in DTLA! Maybe they're hiring.

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  28. So money makes art not beautiful i don't get it
    and apple grenade i do get

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  29. What a bunch of haters. Art is expression and that is what he is doing. Bansky shmanksy so now what? No one can do anything on the streets because Bansky did it already? Then why paint or make any type of art? its 2011 at this point in history EVERYTHING has been done before. I see crappy art in galleries all the time but they dont get the criticism that street artist do.
    Get over yourselves stop criticizing and go make something or do something.
    And dont forget....
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/christi_mendoza/5375228166/

    ps. no offense to banksy i love him and want to have all of his monkeyface babies. I do think that FH needs to take a lesson from Banksy and become more incognito if he is going to keep this up.

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  30. I just hope he doesn't get arrested i mean a shirt that says free free humanity seems like a typo

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  31. Its funny to read the comments because a lot of you that are saying FH is copying Banksy, are also saying that he used a doll for this installation. Maybe if you pulled your heads out of your asses for, just 2 minutes, you could actually read the story and realise that no dolls were used here.

    Another thing that I find strange is, Why is Banksy the only person in the world allowed to do this type of street art? What FH is doing is original, which further shows how detached you are from what is happening presently. Wise up hipsters, because you really don't have a clue.

    “Good artists copy, great artists steal” - Pablo Picasso

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  32. Did Pablo Picasso rave about himself to the LA weekly and say his shitty art would be woth tons of money in years?? No I didn't think so. Free Humanity sucks!

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  33. seems some of you have lost perspective. you should be thanking artists for having the balls to be out there expressing themselves instead of judging and comparing their expression. who cares who did what first, the intent for global awareness with corruption is what links them and thats the point, connecting. Variations of the same concept can be channeled and handled differently even if the process appears similar. Can we stop with the boring banter already? we have bigger problems to deal with rather then spending time trying to divide people through criticism. Thank you for putting your neck out to get a point across FH. Thank you for being one of the ones who is actually using art as a positive weapon.

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  34. BLAH, what will be interesting is if the LAPD uses this to make an example out of Free to try to shut down the street artists... its not that far fetched. and free could def be a little more incognito and move off of front street, i would. seems like alot of infighting and pissing contests lately, and to be honest i get dragged in too.

    how the fuck do you spell kumbaya?

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  35. Banksy didn't invent the doll stuff, Mark Jenkins did. Its like the only street artist y'all have ever heard of is Banksy lol.

    http://www.xmarkjenkinsx.com/outside.html

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  36. I LOVE YOU ALL
    -Free Humanity

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  37. The cops had a reason to be worried - back in WWII (and some other conflicts, I believe) soldiers would core fruit, put explosives inside and toss it to their enemies on the theory that hungry soldiers would go for the food and get blown up.

    I'm all for art, but it's not like this particular piece was all butterflies and rainbows. It sounds as though it closely resembled actual weapons as they've been used in war, so it's great that the marine noticed it and the police took care of it.

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  38. FH is the name of a graffiti crew from the 1990's that had member like retna, kofie, jigz... important graffiti people..
    calling some douche bag "street art" fag FH is disrespectful and ignorant.

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  39. Everyone who replied anonymous talk a lot of shizzle. Art is an expression. Get over yourselves and let Free be Free.

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  40. [Obligatory copyeditoral comment]
    'Defuse', not 'diffuse'.
    [/Obligatory copyeditorial comment]

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  41. "calling some douche bag "street art" fag FH is disrespectful and ignorant."

    Yep. Kids dont do the research or have respect like they used to.

    Graffiti > street art

    Thanks to banksy and brainwash for inspiring everyone to make kindergarten crap. Good job Asshole!

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  42. Free Humanity
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7ijukNzlUg

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  43. half the people talking in here are artists with 3 posters up. the other half just watched exit through the gift shop and pretended they were.
    let free do free as nvision said. at least he had the balls to say what he wanted to say without the veil of anonymity.

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