Paintings of banks on fire turn art teacher into celebrity

[Playinghardball]

Source: Raw Story
By Stephen C. Webster



The Los Angeles art scene is abuzz over 41-year-old teacher Alex Schaefer after one of his paintings, showing a Chase bank branch set ablaze, sold on eBay for $25,200.

But before he broke the bank (literally and figuratively), Schaefer had to stare down Los Angeles police detectives in July, and then again in August.

After an anonymous complaint, officers treated his initial painting as a threat, and Schaefer was interrogated twice over whether he was planning any terrorist activities.

On his website, Schaefer explains that he told the officers during two different confrontations that the images were meant to be metaphors for what's happening to the financial industry today. After filing their reports, Schaefer claims officers left him alone.

Another painting, showing a Bank of America branch on fire, sold for about $3,500.


More at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/09/14/paintings-of-banks-on-fire-turn-little-known-calif-artist-into-celebrity/

[Octafish]

1. I hope Mr. Schaefer gets rich.

Very, very rich. He deserves it.

Funny how fast a complaint about a guy's ideas gets a reaction from authorities.

Contrast with the guy who blew the whistle on Madoff being ignored by the Feds for years.

[Jester Messiah]

2. And then I hope he deposits his riches in a local credit union.

Seriously, want to tweak the big banks? Don't give them any of your money.

[socialshockwave]

3. "I hope he(Mr Schaefer) gets rich"

But then people will complain on DU when he's not paying more taxes!

:rofl:

[sudopod]

LOLOLOLOL

wait, why are we laughing?

[sudopod]

[Arctic Dave]

4. He needs to do another one of the country on fire while the politicians sit around and fiddle.

That should get some head turns.

[KamaAina]

5. The possibilities are endless. Comcast. Monsanto. Walmart.

Break out that red-orange-yellow palette, baby! :thumbsup: