Reports on blogs from the City News Service say that the person who drew cats on the freeway has been arrested and is being fined $15,000 and held on $60,000 bail.

Why does this artist get screwed, while guys like Banksy and Barry McGee make money and get recognition?

Apparantly, this artist is Atlas, who is a very talented graff muralist.

The first time they tried to get him, they got the wrong guy. Watch the video of CBS News and how they "convict" the man even though he was innocent.

It's interesting that they point out that graffiti people are motivated by the desire to be well known and popular, and choose locations to bomb based on the visibility and traffic. Isn't that just like FUCKING CBS OUTDOOR's billboard business? Isn't it the exact same motivation for the existence of CBS, which is an ADVERTISEMENT based medium?

When one "advertiser" paints on unauthorized surfaces, the government goes after them, spending a shitload of money to track them down. Then, "legit" companies like CBS take video images of the exact same paintings, and uses them to sell advertisement air time.

The WORK is the art. The REVENUES are what you're paid for the art. And the PROFIT is the revenues minus the expense of doing the work. ATLAS is doing the WORK. The AD REVENEUS are being made by the news media. The PROFIT goes into the media barons' bottom lines. And the artist, whithout whom there would be no work or revenues or profits... goes to jail.

It's a major fucking rip-off.

FREE THE KITTY ARTIST

hi, me and my brother love these cats, and are well supportive of atlas, so my brother [a writer of 10 years] has been making original [FREE ATLAS] t shirts, for adults, children, and pets. so if you love atlas like we do contact me and we'll give you a shirt.
info:
iheartpepsimore@yahoo.com