Houston, We Have a Problem

It started a few months ago with a guy, some spray paint, a stencil, and the word "conquista". His name is Uriel Landeros, a 22 year old Mexican-American "artist" from Houston, Texas. On June 13th, Uriel was accused of defacing a Picasso at the Menil Collection. The incident was caught by a patron/friend of the suspect on a camera phone and Uriel was picked up by the police, questioned, and (later) charged with two felonies (if convicted, he faces 5 years to life in prison and $200,000 dollars in fines). After boasting about the incident on his twitter and facebook accounts, he apparently fled to Mexico with friend and local gallery owner, James Perez, where it seems they coined the idea for an art show.

October 26th is the opening night of Uriel Landeros' solo art show entitled "Houston, We Have a Problem", and the art community is voicing their opinions on the facebook event page in true Texas fashion. He has assumed the roll of a representative of "the underdog" in art, whatever that means, and has intermittently voiced his "vision" on the aforementioned event page.

Here's my thing, why do you have to deface someone's art in order to start an artistic "revolution"? Honestly, as an artist, you should respect everyone's work with the same amount of integrity you have for your own. I would probably beat the piss out of you if you defaced something I'd worked of for any amount of time. Time is invaluable; I will kick your ass. What's more is that you have the audacity to defend your actions and go further by saying that Picasso himself would commend your actions. Absolute absurdity. Some of the most outlandish things I've read are coming from the artists' supporters, going so far as to say that in order to revolutionize art, we have to destroy the past and start over.

WHAT DRUGS ARE YOU ON? CAN I HAVE SOME TOO?

I'll end with a quote from a well respected, level headed artist from Houston, Shelby Hohl,

Ya know its funny how people are calling this Landeros guy's art/movement as "revolutionary". Revolutionary means to do something that has been done before. I'd rather shoot for "evolutionary".

Preach, brother.