Graffiti with a positive message -- this is what local business owner Simon Hawk said he will be providing with a public area for graffiti with a permanent anti-sweatshop message.
Hawk said he will be working with Penn State graduate student Olivia Guevara who was accused of chalking anti-sweatshop messages on campus buildings.
"It seemed like she had a message to get out there, and that we were in similar situations," Hawk said.
Guevara said that Hawk is the artist, and she will just be helping out with the message.
"What is important for us is getting our issues across," Guevara said.
She said that she hopes the community will understand that the art is a way to get out opinions and feelings.
The public graffiti area will be located at Hawk's store, J.J. by Maxwell, 109 S. Pugh St.
The wall will be split into two sections -- the top section will have a permanent message "commenting on recent collegiate sweatshop labor issue," Hawk said.
The bottom section will be open for any community member to display his or her artwork.
"The wall is going to be conveying messages and not just randomness, which is what people associate graffiti with," he said.
Hawk said that he plans to take pictures or video to show the wall's progression, adding that he will also be polling community members to get their reaction. He then plans to take the pictures and community opinions and present them to the borough council.
Hawk has voiced opposition to the council regarding the ordinance and had planned to petition council for a community space where graffiti would be permissible.
Hawk said he will not be petitioning the council for an open graffiti space, but he would like to show graffiti can be a positive thing.
"I believe that allowing individuals and private parties to create public works of art is not only a viable solution but completely legal, Hawk said in an e-mail to the Collegian.
The State College Borough Council had been discussing plans for a graffiti removal ordinance, requiring private property owners to remove graffiti from their property within 14 days of notification.
Council amended the ordinance, lengthening the removal period to 30 days in the summer and 90 days in the winter, and last night council enacted the ordinance in a 4-3 vote.
Elizabeth Goreham said that she had received several e-mails from community members professing their support for the enactment of the ordinance.
Goreham said most businesses work hard to keep their property clean, therefore there should not be a problem enforcing non-compliant property owners' to clean their property.
Council member Ron Filippelli opposed the "ordinance in a search of a problem," adding that it is unfair to penalize the victim.
"I don't have a problem getting ahead of a problem," council member Don Hahn said.
Council president Cathy Dauler said she had "no difficulty supporting [the ordinance,"] adding that she believed the council has done enough research to construct a "reasonable ordinance."
