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Los Angeles Artist Alex Schaefer's Painting Of A Burning Bank Brings Visit From LAPD
Los Angeles-based artist Alex Schaefer, 41, recently learned just how problematic it can be to have your work misinterpreted. A painting of his, which depicted a Chase Bank on fire and was “was intended to be a visual metaphor for the havoc that banking practices have caused to the economy,” according to the LA Times, has prompted a police investigation.
It all started when Schaefer was painting in front of a Chase Bank when the police rolled up and 'told [him] that somebody had called and said they felt threatened by my painting. They said they had to find out my intention. They asked if I was a terrorist and was I going to follow through and do what I was painting."
Los Angeles Artist Alex Schaefer's Painting Of A Burning Bank Brings Visit From LAPD
Originally posted by loam
reply to post by Aggie Man
In an odd way, the authorities have done this artist a BIG favor.
Now his work is known in a way most artists desire.
Originally posted by redoubt
What a fearful, thin-skinned and small minded culture our nation has become.
...
Hows does a country like ours fall so far?
And why couldn't the person who was worried just have walked up to him and asked what the intent was instead of calling the police to do the same?
Originally posted by TheLoony
I don't see any logical reason to call the cops on a guy who is painting.
The officers had Schaefer fill out a form, and he thought that was the end of it. On Tuesday, however, two plainclothes detectives showed up to his house and asked "Do you hate banks? Do you plan to do that to the bank?"