James De La Vega is an artist who lives and works in New York City's Spanish Harlem (aka East Harlem/El Barrio). He is known primarily for his murals and the chalk drawings he creates on public surfaces such as sidewalks. His murals can be found all over East Harlem, and his chalk drawings may show up anywhere in the city. His drawings are usually accompanied by aphoristic messages such as "Become Your Dream." Legally, much of his work qualifies as graffiti, although many put them in a separate genre.
De La Vega's appreciation for his Puerto Rican heritage is also evident in much of his work, as are the tensions over the state of his neighborhood. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, gentrification began creeping north of 96th Street, the traditional border between East Harlem and the Upper East Side. Several of De La Vega's works take note of this cultural incursion. In one small mural, he writes, "Don't think we haven't noticed the 96th Street border moving north."
The public and counter-cultural nature of some of his work has gotten him into trouble with the law on more than one occasion. In July 2003, De La Vega was charged with vandalism for a mural he painted on a blank wall in the Bronx. He was offered one year's probation in exchange for a guilty plea, but that would have required him to state that his intent was to "damage" property. He refused to say this. As a result, in June 2004, he faced trial for the offense, and a judge found him guilty.
But police are not the only people disturbed by De La Vega's work. Some of his opponents relentlessly deface even his most elaborate murals.
De La Vega maintains a studio and small store (which sells his art work and El Barrio-themed t-shirts of his own design) on 103rd Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan.
In the summer of 2004, De La Vega began organizing a write-in campaign for state senator, representing East Harlem and the Bronx. He re-painted the awning of his studio to reflect this effort, but, oddly, also repainted the steel shutters over his studio to honor Olga Mendez , his chief opponent in the race.
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Last updated: 08-23-2005 09:55:46
