Before Banksy, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring’s artwork sold for millions, it was illegally spray-painted on city surfaces.
The transition from graffiti to gallery is a controversial one but three young men from Boyle Heights argue the fine line between the two is just spray can away.
“Three little kids that grew up here ended up making something pretty special for all of us,” said Turcios.
Right in the heart of Southern California’s Latino community lies a one-of-a-kind store that’s embracing the art of graffiti.
“There was never really something like that in Boyle Heights, there was I think one going to South Central or downtown,” said Aliado.
The business has earned quite a following, becoming a haven of sorts for the street art community.
“We sell, basically, anything you could do with art,” said Danny Diaz. “We have spray cans for canvases, murals … our sketchbooks, our black books, our markers.”
For Andrew Salcedo, Diaz and Turcios, “Calle Sucia” is more than just an art shop. For the artists, it’s their crowning achievement.
The idea came to these friends while working on a memorial mural in honor of Turcio’s brother who lost his life in a tragic accident. The name of the shop is influenced by the death.
“It means ‘the dirty streets,'” said Diaz. “La Calle Sucia is just the worst and the beauty to it, you know, the good and the bad.”
While you might think a store with ties to graffiti artists would be an unwelcome addition to the neighborhood, you’d be mistaken. Most of the people around the business have no issue with the young men’s endeavor.
“Everyone does business in a way they believe can improve their life,” flower shop owner Agustin Bonilla said in Spanish.
The owners of Calle Sucia believe their ties to the community help their relationships with neighboring businesses.
“Our neighbors to our right side, to our left side, they probably seen us grow up here,” said Turcios.
The love of art for these friends began at the nearby Boys and Girls Club. They were heavily influenced by the graffiti that adorned almost every street in their neighborhood. Crosstown LA said that their community topped the list of graffiti clean-up reports in the County.
“It’s kind of something that just grows on you here,” said Salcedo. “There were more graffiti groupings than there were like any sports.”
It seems there is a whole new generation to leave their mark and not just in Boyle Heights. Recently, Oceanwide Plaza in downtown Los Angeles became the controversial canvas for taggers. While painting private property without consent as well as breaking and entering is illegal, those in the graffiti community who pulled off the dangerous feat earned some major street cred and fame.
“By the end of the day, it’s art,” said Turcios. “You got two abandoned places there, like make the best of it.”
While many kids come to the shop in search of supplies, the owners said they follow the rules and encourage the kids to work on their craft in other ways.
“Graffiti to me is like building your letter structure,” said Salcedo. “Basically, just building your identity. It doesn’t always have to be an illegal act. It’s like just basically self-expression.”
Most can agree that freedom of expression is a universal right but the debate over whether graffiti is art or vandalism is much more complex.
While La Calle Sucia has only been open for less than a year and a half they have already held a backpack and a Christmas toy giveaway.
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