|
Grafitti pair suffer for their art
 By
Elaine Sheridan
Hundreds have joined an online campaign to protest against the lengthy jail
sentences handed down to two young graffiti artists in Manchester.
Thomas ‘TJ’ Dolan, 20 —whose grandparents are from Galway
— and his friend Tom Whittaker, 18, were sentenced for 15 and 12
months respectively for vandalising railway property.
The pair spray-painted murals on trains, stations and other railway property
across Greater Manchester causing damage worth £13,000.
Now scores of supporters have rallied to condemn the length of the sentences
given to the aspiring artists.
Prior to sentencing a trial judge said that while the men were ‘decent
people who have talent’, they had damaged property and had to be
deterred.
No appeal date has been set but it is expected to be in November.
Dolan’s older brother Danny Dolan said the family are disgusted
at the severity of the sentence.
He said: “No-one is denying they did wrong, they both admit that.
“It is the length of time they received is what we are worried about.
“Even the judge admitted that they were decent people but insisted
their behaviour should be punished as a deterrent to others.
“Danny is devastated at the thought of mum and dad having to visit
him in prison but the support we’ve been getting has been phenomenal.”
Over the past year Dolan had worked on a number of youth projects in schools
across the city.
He has also exhibited at festivals in Barcelona, Amsterdam and Dublin.
He goes by the tag name of Krek and hundreds of T-shirts bearing the logo
‘Free Krek’ in graffiti-style lettering have been sold to
help highlight the cause.
Both youths have applied to prison bosses at Deerbolt to hold art workshops
to help other prisoners with their reading and
writing.
His brother said: “It is great to know that everyone is thinking
about them.
“They are finding it difficult in prison being locked up most of
the day.”
The campaign has also reached hordes of internet users on social networking
sites such as Facebook and MySpace.
And a skateboard rally was held recently under The Mancunian Way to help
keep the campaign in the public eye.
The case has once again kicked off the debate as to whether graffiti is
art.
Some feel talented people like the anonymous artist Banksy are deserving
of the title, while others argue that copycat vandals and low-rent taggers
give graffiti a bad name.
n What do you think? Write, fax or e-mail your thoughts to The Irish Post.
The contact details are on page 2. |
