Jordan seiler on his mission to replace outdoor ads with art -- new york magazine - nymag

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“I don’t really have a problem with advertising. I kind of enjoy it. And I’m a freelance photographer, so there are definitely times when I’ve shot advertisements. There’s a difference,


though, between advertising that’s presented in situations where you have a choice as to whether or not to take in the message and places where you do not. On October 25, as part of an


ongoing project with my group Public Ad Campaign, about 80 volunteers and I targeted street posters that we believe are put up illegally, first whitewashing them, then making art on top. The


advertising company NPA found out and started postering on top of what we had done. The cops came. Seven volunteers were arrested, and five ended up spending about 30 hours in jail. I


honestly believe that I’m right—that people should be allowed to make commentary like this and that I need to not be hiding. But at this point I don’t think I can do my work in the same way


anymore. With the NYPD Vandal Squad after me, they’re probably just looking for reasons to throw me in jail. _As told to Erica Orden._ _Seiler will speak at a Lucid NYC event at Bowery


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