Those unaware might not realize just how excellent the album art for Kurt Vile & The Violators' 2013 album Walkin' On A Pretty Daze is. The album title, painted like a '50s advertisement on the side of a Philadelphia building, ain't photoshopped. Renowned urban artist Steve "ESPO" Powers painted Vile's name, album title and a series of images depicting lyrics form the album. The image remained as a somewhat odd but perfectly tasteful installment in the downtown area.
At least until an unnamed local man saw fit to cover the images with white paint.
Local radio station WXPN reported that the man justified his actions by saying it was "attracting graffiti to the neighborhood." Perhaps the man didn't fully think through his plan, as his best idea to detract vandals was to paint the wall just plain white. Ultimately he failed in even that. Rather than grab a paint roller and cover the whole dang wall, he used a brush to cover Powers' elements while leaving the rest of the grey blocks exposed. Even the stuff he managed to paint over can still be seen through the thin veil the main applied.
You sir are not only a jerk, but also a crappy/lazy painter.
A spokesperson for Vile told Pitchfork plans were in place to have ESPO replace the mural.
UPDATE: Metro, a Philadelphia area publication, identified the painter as DJ Lee Mayjahs? (the "?" is part of his name). The defacer has reportedly offered to compensate Vile and Powers for the work repairing the art.
Based on his website that advertises his career as a DJ, we'd guess this whole bit was part of a sick publicity stunt. For "an artist who creates an environment through both sound and dynamic imagery," whitewashing a piece of local art sounds awfully stupid.
