the saga continues
After six months on the lam, alleged Picasso tagger turns himself in toauthorities
Houston artist Uriel Landeros turned himself in to authorities Monday, afterfleeing Houston last summer.Tadeeo43/YouTube
Landeros tagged a 1923 Picasso at the Menil Collection in June 2012.fused00828/YouTube
The Houston artist accused of spray-painting a Picasso work at the Menil Collection in June 2012 turned himself in to authorities on Tuesday afternoon.
After half a year on the lam in northern Mexico, Uriel Landeros formally surrendered to U.S. Marshals on an international bridge in McAllen — a move orchestrated by the artist's attorney, Emily Detoto, according to the Houston Chronicle.
After six months on the lam in northern Mexico, Uriel Landeros formally surrendered to U.S. Marshals on an international bridge in McAllen, Tex.
"He surrendered at the urging of his family and myself, to come in and get started on the process," Detoto said.
An early report from KTRK Eyewitness News notes that the artist — who faces charges of felony graffiti and felony criminal mischief — is expected to appear before a south Texas judge by Wednesday, after which he we be transferred to Harris County.
Landeros became the talk of the Houston art world last summer after tagging a 1923 Picasso painting with a stencil of a bullfighter and the word "conquista," or conquer.
After the incident, he allegedly fled to Mexico where he filmed a short YouTube video explaining his actions in August. A month later, the artist offered a quick CultureMap interview via Facebook, during which he aligned himself with the Occupy Movement.
Drama began again in the fall when gallery-owner James Perez announced he was about to receive new Landeros works for a Nov. 1 solo show at Summer Street Studios. A social media storm brewed for weeks, ending in a rather strange-but-entertaining opening reception that included a special Skype session with the artist himself.
Stay tuned to CultureMap as new details emerge.
