Berkeley graffiti event results in — graffiti

Typically, graffiti art gets a bad rap.

It’s an unappreciated medium that gets instantaneously associated with poverty or some type of gang affiliation. Or, simply, just an unnecessary smear of spray paint that can make a piece of real-estate plummet in the blink of an eye.

The latter was the case Sunday following a graffiti art event that left multiple buildings vandalized.

Berkeleyside reported Berkeley police received more than 13 reports of vandalism on the morning after the event “Special Delivery” that was being held by Endless Canvas, a Bay Area-based co-op and gateway to local graffiti art culture.

This street art version of a love-in boasted “thousands” of artists who arrived to decorate the inside of a warehouse at the Flint Ink building at 1350 Fourth Street.

Unfortunately, the event might’ve led some participants to “go rogue” and tag several buildings along the next few city blocks, down both Fourth and Fifth Streets.

James Orton, who runs businesses along Fifth street, told Berkeleyside:

“It was not a pleasant Sunday morning.”

Orton also said that he’d had an exchange of information with the owner of the Flint Ink building, who said he would “make sure the graffiti is cleaned up.” Building owner, Alan Varela, was not available for comment when the Berkeleyside piece was published.

Kathleen Fahey, a Fifth Street resident, said of the aftermath of the Endless Canvas event:

“It’s a cool idea, inspiring. … But this is home to a lot of people and, once buildings get tagged like this, it tends to increase the chance of it happening again and again.”

Endless Canvas’ website posts they are “working on a clean-up,” but doesn’t specify if that clean-up applies to the interior of the Flint Ink building or helping clean up the surrounding area.

The “Special Delivery” artwork, however, is said to be open for public viewing this Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.