Chandrika Metivier considers themselves fearless.
Two weeks in the past, Metivier was taking a private security threat on a bridge above I-45, portray the phrases ‘No Warfare Know Peace’ in protest of the continuing Russian invasion of Ukraine the place the notorious “Be Somebody” graffiti lived for years.
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That is the third time the mid-twenty-year-old made the dangerous determination to alter the signal and hopes that by claiming their identify to the alteration, together with their current viral TikTok second, the Houston-based multidisciplinary artist will management the route their inventive profession will go.
“There’s in all probability no different method I needed to emerge into the general public eye,” Metivier stated. “There have been alternatives to go in a really company business route.”
“I by no means needed that.”
Metivier graduated from Lamar Consolated Excessive College in Rosenberg and began their inventive profession in graphic design. As they continued to progress, Metivier’s passions and hobbies began to intersect with their artwork, turning them right into a multidisciplined artist that works by way of totally different mediums. Metivier now works with the fabric Mylar, to create, “instinctual, uncooked, and inimitable giant scale sculptures,” that, “function a mirrored image of ourselves and our period,” in response to their artist web site.
Chandrika Metivier has modified the ‘Be Somebody’ signal thrice. They hope their activism is indicative of their inventive profession.
Workers PhotographMetivier has all the time been fascinated by grassroots organizing and calls to motion, one of many causes they first modified the ‘Be Somebody’ graffiti to learn ‘Vote or Die’ earlier than the 2020 presidential election.
“I actually simply needed to empower individuals to vote,” Metivier stated. “I needed it to be as impartial as attainable but additionally sufficient to spark dialog. One thing about utilizing that slogan, which was coined by Diddy, will get the dialog going. And that is precisely what occurred.”
Metivier stated they’re totally conscious of the dangers of vandalizing the bridge. Based on the Houston Police Division, the town does have a graffiti ordinance that treats the crime as a misdemeanor if the injury is lower than $500, and a felony if damages are greater than $500. A spokesperson for the Houston Police Division stated that the legality of the ‘Be Somebody’ bridge graffiti is hard as a result of the railway is owned by Union Pacific. The Chronicle reached out to Union Pacific concerning the graffiti however didn’t obtain a response.
Apart from the authorized ramifications, it is also harmful, from the portray course of to getting there within the first place. “There’s like a two foot hole the place the freeway is. So you can fall,” Metivier stated.
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For Metivier, the purpose of portray messages like “No Warfare Know Peace” is to make a distinction.
“There have been occasions when there have been meaningless messages on the bridge,” Metivier stated. “So I am like, I am gonna get my message up there as a result of nobody else goes to go up there and do it.”
Going viral in Los Angeles
Metivier was in Los Angeles three weeks in the past strolling alongside Skid Row – an space in Los Angeles identified to have many people who find themselves experiencing homelessness. Metivier got here throughout a person named James Safari Parker who constructed a makeshift shelter on the road. His residence not too long ago went viral on TikTok and Metivier acknowledged the house and the very first thing they thought was, “I ought to wrap it.”
They ordered as a lot Mylar materials as attainable and with Parker’s permission, started wrapping the house in Metivier’s inventive model.
Parker watched Metivier wrap his residence for about six hours earlier than they had been captured on TikTok.
“That video has over 1,000,000 likes and it was all unplanned,” Metivier stated. With their elevated recognition, Metivier arrange a GoFundMe to assist rehouse Parker.
“So far as my activism goes, it could not have gone higher,” Metivier stated. “And I do not actually view this particularly as fame, I do see much more visitors to my web page and extra individuals know my identify, however I am like lastly, give me the torch as a result of I can do good with it. My intent is pure.”
