The Difference Between Vandalism and Valuable Art

Our Baltimore headquarters backs into a small alleyway. A large brick wall runs alongside its far side. For the past few months, it has been emblazoned with a single name in large bubble letters: “Kobe.” Presumably it’s a tribute to Kobe Bryant, the basketball superstar who died in a helicopter crash in January 2020. We’re not sure why it hasn’t been scrubbed off yet. We’re even less sure why someone took the time to do this in the first place. Its out-of-the-way location means very few people will ever see it. And if anyone happens to walk by, what are they supposed to think? Can this be considered art?