Shelley LeopoldArtist/activist Saber has never been one to do anything in a “small” way as evidenced by his world record holding graffiti piece on the L.A. River — done in 1997 and visible from space before it was buffed last year. His latest projects are no exception. A couple weeks ago he unleashed a genius skywriting campaign over city hall to try to end the L.A. County mural moratorium and this week he joined forces with Occupy L.A. to contribute his Protest Flag, a 32 x 16 ft flag that divides into 64 separate protest signs, with slogans like “Bail Out Skid Row,” “Ass, Cash or Grass, Republicans Ride For Free” and “Art Is Not a Crime.”
Credit: courtesy of Saber
Created in a friend's warehouse and rebuilt on the lawn of City Hall this past weekend, the protest flag is also one last push for signatures for his “End the Mural Moratorium” petition, which he presents today at a city council meeting. At last count, he had collected close to 6,000 signatures.
“Occupy Wall Street/Occupy L.A. is the largest protest movement of my generation,” Saber says. “My skywriting project and petition to end the mural moratorium was just another way to participate in our democracy. The opportunity to be heard is what makes this country so great, that's why we can't take it for granted.”
Credit: jonlakephotography.com
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