including his latest stuff which I was pleased to capture.
I was suprised to get a message from him the following day asking me to take down those latest photos. He said he wasn't ready for the work to be seen, and that anyway he would like to show it first. This seemed reasonable, so I took the photos down and let him know.
All very nice and polite.
Afterwards, however, I started to think...
This is work painted on a wall in clear site of a public road. I hadn't sneaked into his private gallery and stolen images of a secret work.
So, what right of control does a graffiti artist have over the public taking and sharing photos of their work?
Speaking to graffiti artists on the Parkland Walk, it seems their attitude is that they paint for themselves and are perfectly accepting that the work is captured or over-painted by others.
This seems right to me.
It would feel different if it was a private space, but it isn't.
I will not be putting the images back on Flickr as that would feel petty, but I may not bother putting any more SHOK-1 stuff up at all.
Wouldn't want to offend him again...
So artist rights, or public images. What do you think about graffiti?
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