How was FoundArt formed?

FoundArt began as a joint venture between Violet and Sparrow in 2006, who where, at that time, undergraduate students at the University of New Mexico's Fine Arts department. They began by selling buttons featuring art from local graffiti artists, and were so successful that they soon expanded into other venues, including tee shirts, book bags, and more.

I'm surprised that FoundArt is so successful. I thought I was alone in my appreciation of vandalart. How are you able to support a company with six employees in this venue?

Really, we are as surprised as you are. We started the company as an act of faith, but to our delight we have found many people who share our passion, who have been very supportive of our work.

Aren't there copyright issues with selling products based on other people's work.

No. Because all of the images come from vandalism of public property, the copyright is implicitly in the public domain. Also, few would hazard to bring a suit, because to do so would admit criminal conduct. Besides which, the real art is not the graffiti image itself, but the way in which we capture it.

Why do you're members use pseudonyms?

Since we began our work focusing on vandalism on and around UNM campus, the artists have been invigorated by the attention we gained them, and have redoubled their endeavors, executing ever more ambitious works. This has not gone unnoticed by the university's administration. Since some of our staff are students, it is expedient that we disguise our true identities for the foreseeable future.

Don't you have some ethical obligation because your site is exacerbating the vandalism problem on UNM campus?

Ethics is largely in the eye of the beholder. We don't view the vandalism as a problem. What harm is done to masses of gray concrete by being beautified by local artists? We feel we are doing a community service for the university.