Artists William Lucka and Antonio Cosme, members of the Raiz Up Collective from SW Detroit, are facing jail time after being charged with painting “Free the Water” on a Highland Park water tower. Lucka is now facing an additional 8 felony charges for multiple alleged tags throughout the city. Mayor Duggan’s graffiti task force is enforcing harsh punishments for street artists, proving disproportionately harmful for Black, Brown and Indigenous artists from Detroit.
They are being targeted for speaking out against the water shut-offs systematically occurring at a rate of 1,500 to 3,000 per week, often leading to foreclosure due to unpaid bills. Lucka and Antonio have brought public awareness to these tactics through their art practice.
On September 1st, William Lucka will be exhibiting his paintings at The Bottom Line Coffee House for the month of September. He additionally will have an instalation peice made and on display for the month.
Those interested in the arts and social justices are invited to discuss the criminalization of artists, art washing, and the intersection of activism and art. To give support, please visit freethewater313.org.
#ArtIsNotACrime #FreeTheWater #DecolonizeArt #BlackArtistsMatter
ART OPENING
6-9 PM
The Bottom Line Coffee House
4474 Third St, Detroit MI
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