INTRO:
The term "all city" comes from graffiti culture and refers to getting ones tag up in all fi5e boroughs in New York City. This project places City Council member based graffiti tags on or around the offices of representatives of each of the five boroughs. Likeness of the Council Members are rendered from a custom DOS application which draws text from current anti sticker graffiti legislation in New York City.
CONCEPT:
All City Council focuses on new anti-sticker graffiti legislation in New York City. Referencing both hacker and graffiti cultures this project combines digital and urban rebellious elements to create a new form of street art. Images of the New York City Council members are reproduced in ASCII art onto US postal labels. The use of ASCII art is both a clue to the digital nature of the images production as well as a reference to the original form of digital
graffiti in cracker readme.nfo files. The use of the postal sticker is also significant as these stickers have a long history in graffiti culture. These labels are taken from post offices and used as a blank canvas for creating graffiti tags in ink and marker. They can be produced in the privacy of the home and applied in public quickly and inconspicuously. All City Council takes advantage of the modular nature of these labels and uses them in conjunction with
a home printer for creating small and large scale ASCII imagery. Council members likenesses are printed on single labels as well as large scale tileings of as many as 60 labels. From a distance the text of the ASCII imagery reads as head shots of the City Council members. At close range, however, one can read the text that forms the image to be the legal verbiage of the anti-sticker law itself. The council members are formed from the law which they helped to pass,
a law which finds one guilty based on "identifying information appearing on any sticker or decal."
STREET ART:
As the penalties become harsher for creating art in public spaces many influential artists are moving the production to the safety of their homes. New forms of graffiti can be refined and produced in the home and later "installed" in the city in quick and precise actions. This newer form of graffiti, while still in its infancy, is the beginning of a new movement in urban graf which has been given various names such as "street art", and "post graf". This new wave
of graffiti is defined by experimenting in new materials and methods of installation. Artists are creating tags out of steel, tile, stickers, and clay, and attaching their forms to the city. It is a diversion from traditional paint and marker based graf that is directly influenced by changes in attitudes and laws imposed by the city.
ANTI-GRAF LEGISLATION:
Currently there is a new law being passed by the New York City Council that will bring graffiti art applied on stickers under fire. This law penalizes offenders with a $500 fine per sticker plus the cost of removal. In addition this law will broaden the scope of the how one can be charged for a graffiti violation. Under new legislation one can be brought to court based on the content of the sticker.
"There shall be a rebuttable presumption that the person whose name, telephone number, or other identifying information appears on any sticker or decal affixed, attached or placed by whatever means in violation of subdivision a of this section violated this section by either (I) affixing, attaching or placing by whatever means such sticker or decal or (ii) directing, suffering or permitting a servant, agent, employee or other individual under such persons control to engage in such activity."
Previously graffiti offenders could only be punished for crimes for which they were witnessed in the act. Now they can be taken before the court merely because their name may have appeared on a sticker. All City Council asks the seemingly obvious question, "What happens when the City Council members show up on a sticker?"
:section.:k.:The:commissioner:of:the: dep
artment:of:sanitation:shall:be:autho ri
zed:to:issue:subpoenas:to:obtain:offi cial
:telephone:records:for:the:pu rpos e:of:de
termining:the:identity:and:locati on: of:any:person:or:ent
ity:reasonably:believed:by:the:c o mm issioner:to:have:violated:subd
ivision:a:of:this:section:by:aff i x ing,:attaching:or:pla cing:by:wha te ver :means :a:
sticker:or:decal:.:l.:For:the:purp os es:of:im posing:a:criminal:fine:or :civil:penal t y:pursuant:to:t his:se
ction,:every:sticker:or:decal: affixed,: att ac hed:or:placed:by :whatev er:means:in :v iolation:of:subdiv
ision:a:of:this:section,:sh all:be : de em e d:to:be:the:subjec t:of:a:se p arate:violation:fo
r:which:a:separate:crimina l:fine :or:ci v il:penalty:shall: be: impo sed.§2.:This:law:s
hall:take:effect:immediately:upon: its:enac tment: into :law.:Ì:Int.:No .:34:By:Council:Members:Brewe
r,:A vella,:Comrie,:Fidler,:Gentile, :Gerson ,:G ioia,:Jackson,:McMa hon,:Nelson,:Pr ovenzano,:Quinn,:Seabrook,:Weprin
,:Mo s ko witz,:Felder,:G ennaro, :L iu,:Lanz a,:Palma,:Gonzalez: and:Val lone:. . TitleA:Local:Law:to:a mend: the:
administ rative:code:of: the:city:of:New:York,: in:relation:the:imp roper: place ment:of:stickers...Body:Be: it:e nact
ed :by:the :Council:as:fol lows::S ection:1.:Section:10-117:of:the:administra tive: code:of:the:city:o f:New:Y ork,:as:
amended:by:local:law:number :68:for:the:year:1995,:and:loca l:law:311 :for:the:year:1992:is: hereby:amended:by
:a mending:paragr aph:a:and:g :and:adding:new:paragraphs:i,:j,:k:and:l :to:read:as:follows:§1 0-117:Defacement:
of :p roperty,:possess ion,:sa le :and:distribution:of:aerosol:spray :pain t: cans:an d:bro ad:tip
p ed:markers:p ro hibite d :in:c ertain:instances.:a .: No:pers on:sh al l: w rite,: paint,
: o r:draw:any:insc ri p tion,:figure:or:m a rk:or:aff ix,:at tach:or:place:by:
wh atever:means:a: sti ck er:or:decal : of:any:ty pe:o n:any:pu bli
c: or:private:b u ildi ng: or: oth er:s truct ure: o r:an y:o
ther:real:or:pers onal:pro pe rty:owned ,:ope ra ted:or:
maintained:by:a :pu blic :benef it :corp oration
,:the:city:of :New :Yo rk:o r: any:ag ency:or:i
nstrumentality: the re o f:or:by:an y: person,:firm,:or:corporat
ion,:or:any:pers onal:p r operty:m ainta ined:o n:a :ci
ty:street:or:ot her:city-owned:prope rt y :pu rs uant:to :a:
franchise,:conc es sion:o r:r e vocab le:c ons
ent:granted:by: the: c i ty, :unless:t he:e xpr
ess:permis si on: of :the:owner: or:operator:of:t he:pro
perty:has:been:ob tained . :g. :In:addition :to:the:criminal:penal tie s:impo
sed:pursu ant: t o:s ub divi sion:f:of:thi s:section,:a:person:who:vio la tes:t
he:provis io ns: o f:s ubdiv i sion:a,:b,:c:or:d:of:this:section:shall: be :liab
le:for:a: ci vil: p enal ty: of:not :more:than: five:hundred:dollars :for:
each:viol atio n: w hich:may:b e:recovered:in:a:p roceedi
ng: before:t he: envi ronmental:cont r ol:
board.: Such:pro cee din g:shall:b e:commenced:by :t he:ser
vices:of:a:notice :o f:violation:returnable:before:such:boa rd.:Anyone:found : to:
have:v iolated:the : provisio ns: of:subdivisio n:a :of:this:se c t i
on,:by :affixing,:att aching :or : placing:by:w ha tev
er:mea ns:a:stic ker :or:decal,:in:addition:to:any: pena lt y:impo
sed,:shall:be:re sp onsible:for : the:co st:of:t
he:removal:of:the:unau thorized:stickers:or:deca ls .i.:There
:shal l:be:a:rebuttab le:pres u mp t ion:that:
thepe rson:whos e:nam e, :telephon
e: number,:or:o ther:i dentifying:i
nf ormation:appe ars :on:any:sti
cke r:or:decal:af fix ed,:attached
:or :placed:by:w hat ever:means:i
n:v iolation:o f: s ubdivision
:a:of :this :se ct io n:violated
:this:s ec tio n:b y : either:(i
):affixing, :att a ch ing:or:pl
acing:by:w hatever : means: such:stick
er:or:decal:o r:(ii) : dire cting,:su
ffering:or:permit ting:a :serva nt ,:agent,:em
ployee:or:other:in divid ua l:under: such:perso
ns:control:to:engage:i n:such :a ct ivity.j . :There:sh
all:be:a:rebuttable:presumpt ion: t h at:if: a te lephone
:number:that:appears:on:any:sti cker:o r: de cal:affix ed ,:attach e
d:or:placed:by:whatever:means:in:vi olati on :of:subdivis ion:a:of:t hi
s:section:belongs:to:a:telephone:answer ing: service:and:no: other:telephon e:nu
mber:or:address:is:readily:obtainable:to: locat e : the:person:or:business:advertised:the r
ein,:such:telephone:answering:service:shall:be: held : li ab l e :for:a:violation:of:subdivision :
a :in:accordance:with:the:provisions:of:this:section. :k.: The :commissioner:of:the:departmen
t:of:sanitation:shall:be:authorized:to:issue:subpoenas:to : ob tai n: offici al:telephone:
records:for:the:purpose:of:determining:the:identity:and:loc atio n:of :any:person:or:entity:rea
sonably:believed:by:the:commissioner:to:have:violated:subdivisio n:a: of :this:sect ion:by:affixing,:attac h
ing:or:placing:by:whatever:means:a:sticker:or:decal:.:l.:For:the:pu r pos es:of:imposing:a:criminal:fine:or:civ il:
penalty:pursuant:to:this:section,:every:sticker:or:decal:affixed,:attach ed:or: placed:by:whatever:means:in:viola tion
: of:subdivision:a:of:this:section,:shall:be:deemed:to:be:the:subject:of:a:sep ara te:violation:for:which:a:separate :crimina
l:fine:or:civil:penalty:shall:be:imposed.§2.:This:law:shall:take:effect:immediately: upon: its :ena ctment:into:law.:Ì:I nt.:No.:34:By:Co
uncil:Members:Brewer,:Avella,:Comrie,:Fidler,:Gentile,:Gerson,:Gioia,:Jackson,:McMahon,:N elson,:Provenzan o,:Quinn,:Seab rook,:Weprin,:Moskowi
tz,:Felder,:Gennaro,:Liu,:Lanza,:Palma,:Gonzalez:and:Vallone:..TitleA:Local:Law:to:amend:th e :administrative: code:of:the:city:of:New:
York,:in:relation:the:improper:placement:of:stickers...Body:Be:it:enacted:by:the:Council:as:fol lows::Section:1.:S ection:10-117:of:the:admini
strative:code:of:the:city:of:New:York,:as:amended:by:local:law:number:68:for:the:year:1995,:and:loca l:law:311:for:the: year:1992:is:hereby:amended:by
:amending:paragraph:a:and:g:and:adding:new:paragraphs:i,:j,:k:and:l:to:read:as:follows:§10-117:Defacemen t:of:property,:posses sion,:sale:and:distribution:of: a
erosol:spray:paint:cans:and:broad:tipped:markers:prohibited:in:certain:instances.:a.:No:person:shall:write,:pa int,:or:draw:any:i nscription,:figure:or:mark:or:affi x,
:attach:or:place:by:whatever:means:a:sticker:or:decal:of:any:type:on:any:public:or:private:building:or:other:struc ture:or:any:oth er:real:or:personal:property:owned,:op
erated:or:maintained:by:a:public:benefit:corporation,:the:city:of:New:York:or:any:agency:or:instrumentality:thereof:or :by:any:pers on,:firm,:or:corporation,:or:any:perso
nal:property:maintained:on:a:city:street:or:other:city-owned:property:pursuant:to:a:franchise,:concession:or:revocable:c onsent:gr anted:by:the:city,:unless:the:express:pe
rmission:of:the:owner:or:operator:of:the:property:has:been:obtained.:g.:In:addition:to:the:criminal:penalties:imposed:pursu ant:to :subdivision:f:of:this:section,:a:person
:who:violates:the:provisions:of:subdivision:a,:b,:c:or:d:of:this:section:shall:be:liable:for:a:civil:penalty:of:not:more:than:fiv e :hundred:dollars:for:each:violation:which:
may:be:recovered:in:a:proceeding:before:the:environmental:control:board.:Such:proceeding:shall:be:commenced:by:the:services:of:a:not ice:o f :violation:returnable:before:such:board.
:Anyone:found:to:have:violated:the:provisions:of:subdivision:a:of:this:section,:by:affixing,:attaching:or:placing:by:whatever:means:a:st icke r:or:decal,:in:addition:to:any:penalty:impo
sed,:shall:be:responsible:for:the:cost:of:the:removal:of:the:unauthorized:stickers:or:decals.i.:There:shall:be:a:rebuttable:presumption:that :th epers on:whose:name,:telephone:number,:or:other:id
entifying:information:appears:on:any:sticker:or:decal:affixed,:attached:or:placed:by:whatever:means:in:violation:of:subdivision:a:of:this:sec tion:v iolat ed:this:section:by:either:(i):affixing,:att
aching:or:placing:by:whatever:means:such:sticker:or:decal:or:(ii):directing,:suffering:or:permitting:a:servant,:agent,:employee:or:other:indivi dual:u nde r:such:persons:control:to:engage:in:such:acti
vity.j.:There:shall:be:a:rebuttable:presumption:that:if:atelephone:number:that:appears:on:any:sticker:or:decal:affixed,:attached:or:placed:by:wha t eve r:means:in:violation:of:subdivision:a:of:this:
section:belongs:to:a:telephone:answering:service:and:no:other:telephone:number:or:address:is:readily:obtainable:to:locate:the:person:or:business: a dve rtised:therein,:such:telephone:answering:service
:shall:be:held:liable:for:a:violation:of:subdivision:a:in:accordance:with:the:provisions:of:this:section.:k.:The:commissioner:of:the:department:of:s anitatio n:shall:be:authorized:to:issue:subpoenas:to:obtain:
official:telephone:records:for:the:purpose:of:determining:the:identity:and:location:of:any:person:or:entity:reasonably:believed:by:the:commissioner: to: have:viola ted:subdivision:a:of:this:section:by:affixing,:attac
hing:or:placing:by:whatever:means:a:sticker:or:decal:.:l.:For:the:purposes:of:imposing:a:criminal:fine:or:civil:penalty:pursuant:to:this:section,:eve ry:sticker :or:d ecal:affixed,:attached:or:placed:by:whatever:means:i
n:violation:of:subdivision:a:of:this:section,:shall:be:deemed:to:be:the:subject:of:a:separate:violation:for:which:a:separate:criminal:fine:or:civil:pen alty:sh all :be:imposed.§2.:This:law:shall:take:effect:immediate
ly:upon:its:enactment:into:law.:Ì:Int.:No.:34:By:Council:Members:Brewer,:Avella,:Comrie,:Fidler,:Gentile,:Gerson,:Gioia,:Jackson,:McMahon,:Nelson,:Prov enzano, :Q uinn,:Seabrook,:Weprin,:Moskowitz,:Felder,:Gennaro,:L
iu,:Lanza,:Palma,:Gonzalez:and:Vallone:..TitleA:Local:Law:to:amend:the:administrative:code:of:the:city:of:New:York,:in:relation:the:improper:placement:of :st ic ker s...Body:Be:it:enacted:by:the:Council:as:follows::Se
ction:1.:Section:10-117:of:the:administrative:code:of:the:city:of:New:York,:as:amended:by:local:law:number:68:for:the:year:1995,:and:local:law:311:for:the :y ear :19 92:is:hereby:amended:by:amending:paragraph:a:and:g:a
nd:adding:new:paragraphs:i,:j,:k:and:l:to:read:as:follows:§10-117:Defacement:of:property,:possession,:sale:and:distribution:of:aerosol:spray:paint:cans:and :b ro ad:tipp e d: markers:prohibited:in:certain:instances.:a.:No:person
:shall:write,:paint,:or:draw:any:inscription,:figure:or:mark:or:affix,:attach:or:place:by:whatever:means:a:sticker:or:decal:of:any:type:on:any:public:or:priv ate:b uilding:or:o ther:structure:or:any:other:real:or:personal:propert
y:owned,:operated:or:maintained:by:a:public:benefit:corporation,:the:city:of:New:York:or:any:agency:or:instrumentality:thereof:or:by:any:person,:firm,:or:cor poration,:or:any : personal:property:maintained:on:a:city:street:or:oth
er:city-owned:property:pursuant:to:a:franchise,:concession:or:revocable:consent:granted:by:the:city,:unless:the:express:permission:of:the:owner:or:operator:of :the:property :ha s:been:obtained.:g.:In:addition:to:the:criminal:pena
lties:imposed:pursuant:to:subdivision:f:of:this:section,:a:person:who:violates:the:provisions:of:subdivision:a,:b,:c:or:d:of:this:section:shall:be:liable:for:a: civil:penalty:of :no t:more:than:five:hundred:dollars:for:each:violation:
which:may:be:recovered:in:a:proceeding:before:the:environmental:control:board.:Such:proceeding:shall:be:commenced:by:the:services:of:a:notice:of:violation:retur nable:before:such:boa rd.:Anyone:found:to:have:violated:the:provisions:of:
subdivision:a:of:this:section,:by:affixing,:attaching:or:placing:by:whatever:means:a:sticker:or:decal,:in:addition:to:any:penalty:imposed,:shall:be:responsible:f or: the:cost:of:t he:removal:of:the:unauthorized:stickers:or:decals.i.
:There:shall:be:a:rebuttable:presumption:that:theperson:whose:name,:telephone:number,:or:other:identifying:information:appears:on:any:sticker:or:decal:affixed,:att ac hed:or:placed:by :whatever:means:in:violation:of:subdivision:a:of:thi
s:section:violated:this:section:by:either:(i):affixing,:attaching:or:placing:by:whatever:means:such:sticker:or:decal:or:(ii):directing,:suffering:or:permitting:a:s erva nt,:agent,:employ ee:or:other:individual:under:such:persons:control:to:e
ngage:in:such:activity.j.:There:shall:be:a:rebuttable:presumption:that:if:atelephone:number:that:appears:on:any:sticker:or:decal:affixed,:attached:or:placed:by:what ev er:means:in:violation :of:subdivision:a:of:this:section:belongs:to:a:telep
hone:answering:service:and:no:other:telephone:number:or:address:is:readily:obtainable:to:locate:the:person:or:business:advertised:therein,:such:telephone:answering:se r vice:shall:be:held:li able:for:a:violation:of:subdivision:a:in:accordance:wi
th:the:provisions:of:this:section.:k.:The:commissioner:of:the:department:of:sanitation:shall:be:authorized:to:issue:subpoenas:to:obtain:official:telephone:records:for :the:purpose:of :dete rmining:the:identity:and:location:of:any:person:or:e
ntity:reasonably:believed:by:the:commissioner:to:have:violated:subdivision:a:of:this:section:by:affixing,:attaching:or:placing:by:whatever:means:a:sticker:or:decal:.:l .:Fo r:the:purposes: of:i mposing:a:criminal:fine:or:civil:penalty:pursuant:to:
this:section,:every:sticker:or:decal:affixed,:attached:or:placed:by:whatever:means:in:violation:of:subdivision:a:of:this:section,:shall:be:deemed:to:be:the:subject:of:a :s eparate:violati on:for :which:a:separate:criminal:fine:or:civil:penalty:sha
ll:be:imposed.§2.:This:law:shall:take:effect:immediately:upon:its:enactment:into:law.:Ì:Int.:No.:34:By:Council:Members:Brewer,:Avella,:Comrie,:Fidler,:Gentile,:Gerson,:Gi oia,:Jackson,:M cMaho n,:Nelson,:Provenzano,:Quinn,:Seabrook,:Weprin,:Mosk
owitz,:Felder,:Gennaro,:Liu,:Lanza,:Palma,:Gonzalez:and:Vallone:..TitleA:Local:Law:to:amend:the:administrative:code:of:the:city:of:New:York,:in:relation:the:improper:plac ement:of:stic kers.. .Body:Be:it:enacted:by:the:Council:as:follows::Secti
on:1.:Section:10-117:of:the:administrative:code:of:the:city:of:New:York,:as:amended:by:local:law:number:68:for:the:year:1995,:and:local:law:311:for:the:year:1992:is:hereby: amended:by:am end ing:paragraph:a:and:g:and:adding:new:paragraphs:i,:j
,:k:and:l:to:read:as:follows:§10-117:Defacement:of:property,:possession,:sale:and:distribution:of:aerosol:spray:paint:cans:and:broad:tipped:markers:prohibited:in:certain:in st ances.:a.:N o: pe rs on:shall:write,:paint,:or:draw:any:inscription,:fig
ure:or:mark:or:affix,:attach:or:place:by:whatever:means:a:sticker:or:decal:of:any:type:on:any:public:or:private:building:or:other:structure:or:any:other:real:or:personal:prop e rty:owned , :o per ate d:or:maintained:by:a:public:benefit:corporation,:the
:city:of:New:York:or:any:agency:or:instrumentality:thereof:or:by:any:person,:firm,:or:corporation,:or:any:personal:property:maintained:on:a:city:street:or:other:city-owned:pro perty:pur suant: t o:a:fra nchise,:concession:or:revocable:consent:granted:by
:the:city,:unless:the:express:permission:of:the:owner:or:operator:of:the:property:has:been:obtained.:g.:In:addition:to:the:criminal:penalties:imposed:pursuant:to:subdivision:f: of:this: section ,:a :person:w ho:violates:the:provisions:of:subdivision:a,:b,:c:or:
d:of:this:section:shall:be:liable:for:a:civil:penalty:of:not:more:than:five:hundred:dollars:for:each:violation:which:may:be:recovered:in:a:proceeding:before:the:environmental:con trol:board.:Such:pro ceeding:s hall:be:commenced:by:the:services:of:a:notice:of:vi
olation:returnable:before:such:board.:Anyone:found:to:have:violated:the:provisions:of:subdivision:a:of:this:section,:by:affixing,:attaching:or:placing:by:whatever:means:a:sticke r:or:de cal,:in:additio n:to:any:p enalty:imposed,:shall:be:responsible:for:the:cost:
of:the:removal:of:the:unauthorized:stickers:or:decals.i.:There:shall:be:a:rebuttable:presumption:that:theperson:whose:name,:telephone:number,:or:other:identifying:information:appe ars:on :any:sticker:or:decal:affixed, :attached:or:placed:by:whatever:means:in:violation
:of:subdivision:a:of:this:section:violated:this:section:by:either:(i):affixing,:attaching:or:placing:by:whatever:means:such:sticker:or:decal:or:(ii):directing,:suffering:or:permit ting :a:servant,:a gent,:emp loyee:or:other:individual:under:such:persons:contr
