When work and play collide

I'm moving to a new apartment in three days, so I have less than zero time to write, which sucks because I've been thinking a LOT about the possible connections between murals and gentrification ever since it was reported that a gentleman who goes by the tag "Zexor" has declared war on the Bushwick Collective, which of course is based in a neighborhood that is ground zero for gentrification.

Some have suggested that Joseph Ficalora, who heads the collective, is somehow aiming for just this goal, and while I suspect that's bunk, Ficalora apparently doesn't like to talk much (he also ignored a request I sent him before this even came up), which is a shame, because I think it's a huge issue that needs to be addressed. I'll have more on this soon, when we finally get settled in our new corner of Brooklyn.

In leiu of that, please do check out my coverage of Law, Urban Space, and the Future of Artistic Expression, an amazing day-long symposium that Fordham Law's Urban Law Journal put together on Thursday. I cover conferences like this all the time as part of my day job at Fordham, but it's rare when my work intersects so closely with my passion. Who knew the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA) could be so fascinating?  I only wish I could have attended all the panels and talks.

Anyway, it was great if for no other reason than it was the first time (that I know of) that Fordham hosted a keynote address by a well respected graffiti artist, in this case, Lady Pink. Check it out; hope you like it.