SQON // Artist from Pordenone, North East Italy
Pordenone, in North East Italy, is my hometown. It is a relative small city but always had a more vibrant and alternative cultural scene (music, arts) than eg the nearby richer and larger cities of Veneto. While spending a few Xmas days at home, I came across a few distinctive cats painted on the walls. Like the one in this pic. A quick Google search revealed that the author should probably be Sqon, a local artist. Sqon started 20 years ago as a graffiti writer. He not only paints on urban walls but also in the countryside environment, e.g. on sheafs or trees (but cosciously without damaging them). An interesting story seems his trial with Italian justice system. In 2012 Sqon was accused of vandalism for having painted some of walls in Venice. After 2 years, he was not found guilty. After having heard the testimony of local residents who liked Sqon's cats on some horrible Venice walls (not monuments), the judge declared no vandalism was committed because his graffiti are not trashing but enhancing the aesthetics of the city. In other words, they are some form of art. I only got access to the story via some short articles in local newspapers. If true, it's an interesting precedent the fact that a tribunal recognized, wih the help of local citizens, street art as an art. I'll talk more about the idea I got on art vs vandalism in coming posts
