The man accused of vandalizing Picasso’s Woman in a Red Armchair (1929) recently had his first show at the Cueto James Art Gallery in Houston, Texas. The show for Uriel Landeros was organized by gallery owner James Perez. The exhibition, titled “Houston, We Have a Problem,” opened on Friday, 26 October 2012. The opening gala doubled as a Halloween party with free liquor, DJs and music, patrons in Halloween costumes, and Landeros joining the gala via Skype. It is interesting to note that many of Landeros’ paintings in the exhibition were “tagged” by local graffiti artists in much the same way that he is accused of tagging the Menil Collection’s Woman in a Red Armchair.
Landeros remains at large until he turns himself over to the police for questioning. He is believed to be hiding in northern Mexico. He reports as belonging to the Occupy Movement and this association as reason for his “fight.” Landeros has reportedly admitted to vandalizing the Picasso painting and said, “I’m not going to give up on my cause. It doesn’t matter if I turn myself in or not. It doesn’t mean I’m going to stop fighting.”
Despite the efforts to destroy Woman in a Red Armchair, the painting was immediately cleaned of the spray paint used to create the image of a bull with the word “conquista.” The Menil Collection of Houston reports that the painting is set to go on display again in the near future.
- The Artist Ego by Uriel Landeros, 2012, tagged with “Picasso” by an unknown person. Image courtesy Houston Culture Map.
For more information, click the links below.
1) NY Times article “Picasso vandal gets his own art show”
2) Bigstory AP article “Gallery show for accused Picasso vandal raises ire”
3) Houston Culture Map article “Menil Picasso vandal’s own paintings are spray painted as his art show debut turns into a side show”
4) Houston Culture Map article “The Menil Picasso vandal answers questions, argues that museums steal from the people”
5) Cnn.com article “Vandalized Picasso ready to hang again“
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