By Joanne Oleksiak
Guerilla Artists Group (or GAG) is engaged in an intractable struggle with those who would deprive the public of creative free speech. That means no public art, baby! CLEAR CHANNEL, that jolly billboard gorilla, has bullied the City that Works into outlawing all outside expression. YES! That means all outside expression! No, wait!
I lied! The sign code gives you one square foot of expression for your house without a sign permit! One very generous square foot!
So do you have a permit for that lawn ornament? No? Then youre an outlaw, a guerilla artist! All outside expression over one square foot (except a temporary lawn sign) requires a sign permit.
Clear Channel is also being very generous. Theyve offered three billboards for graffiti artists to exercise their First Amendment rights. Remember Clear Channel? Theyre owed one million dollars by the City that Works because Public Art wasnt regulated like billboards. Well theyre all signs now! Thank you Clear Channel! and of course we can trust a gorilla like Clear Channel to decide whose art we will, or wont see.
So be a guerilla artist not a gorilla artist. EXPRESS YOURSELF! Display that lawn ornament, hang that mask by your front door, paint that mural on your building, decorate your walls, your doors, your yard. EXERCISE YOUR FREE SPEECH RIGHTS! They cant stop everybody, can they? Dont be gagged by the sign code!
Oh! One more thing! The Mayors Public Art Proposal? If you like Kafka, youll love this thing. Stay tuned!
Brought to you by GAG (Pssssst! Pass it on!)
Whats next for Portlands murals?
A draft proposal from Mayor Katz is expected to be available sometime in the next month or so for public review. Slight changes in the citys sign and zoning codes will be suggested, and Oregon law requires that public hearings be held to solicit public opinion. There will be at least two opportunities for public comment one for each code, Title 32 and 33.
For more information, call Metro Murals @ 503/516-6173 or visit
metromurals.org
The Portland Alliance
2807 SE Stark Portland,OR 97214 Last Updated: June 7, 2004 |