Lululemon billionaire in hot water over Vancouver seawall graffiti

[Violator]

A giant graffiti mural that Vancouver yoga billionaire Chip Wilson is having painted without permits in front of his $37-million waterfront mansion might be in violation of signage bylaws, a city manager says.

Wilson — who founded Lululemon and has an estimated personal fortune of about $3-billion — says he commissioned top local graffiti artists to coat his Point Grey Road home’s 200-foot seawall in order to deter “ugly” graffiti that is plaguing Kitsilano’s waterfront. Wilson owns the seawall bordering his property, the city says, but the beach is provincially-owned land accessible to the public.

“We are actually doing this for the people of Vancouver,” Wilson, along with his wife Shannon, told Global BC recently. “And, we’re actually hoping that by us taking this on, that other people along the seawall, rather than having ugly walls that deface the city, will actually take on the art project themselves.”

But not everyone in Kitsilano appreciates the couple’s artistic vision. A citizen complained last week, and inspectors have viewed the mural and found potential development permit breaches, city engineer Peter Judd told The Province.

“The wall facing the water is owned by them, but it doesn’t mean they can put anything they want on it,” Judd said in an interview. “They made an assumption that permitting wasn’t required.”

Judd said signage bylaw requires that the Wilsons and their seawall neighbours show the city that paintings will not have commercial content, hateful messages, or the “stylized” writing characteristic of urban graffiti.

There are some “aspects of the (Wilsons’) mural that might conflict with that stylized writing rule,” Judd said. “We look to see that there is no stylized content on the mural that encourages graffiti, because then it just defeats the purpose of doing a mural.”

The city will work with the Wilsons “to get proper permits” and the couple could be asked to have their seawall mural revised, Judd said.

When The Province viewed the Wilson mural on Friday, an abundance of “stylized” writing apparently in contravention of city code was evident. A short distance down the beach two workers were scrubbing tags off another property owner’s seawall, in preparations for a similar mural. The thinking is that tags — quickly spray-painted letters — won’t be painted over pieces done by artists that are respected within Vancouver’s graffiti scene.

“More people are doing (murals), and it seems to be working,” said one worker, who did not want to be named.

Area resident David Gomes, walking past the Wilsons’ mural, said he believes many in Kitsilano will be supportive.

“This is nice,” he said. “I don’t think most residents mind, if something interesting is being done.”

The Province unsuccessfully tried to reach Chip Wilson for an interview on this story.

If Wilson isn’t terribly interested in the complexities of signage rules, it wouldn’t be surprising.

According to Lululemon branding and blog writing attributed to Wilson, he is a fan of Libertarian writer Ayn Rand, and espouses an ideology of “living in the moment” so that “creativity is maximized.”

“The world moves at such a rapid rate that waiting to implement changes will leave you two steps behind. Do it now, do it now, do it now!” advises one of the nuggets reportedly penned by Chip Wilson for Lululemon’s “manifesto.”

Since the Wilsons moved into their new home — a massive concrete fortress with touches of bevelled glass, pine, and bamboo — staid Point Grey Road is taking on more vivid hues. And it’s not just murals. On the August long weekend Chip Wilson hosted American rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers at a private backyard birthday party attended by 300 of Vancouver’s elite, including Mayor Gregor Robertson, who is himself now a Kitsilano resident.

Some people aren’t tuning in to the Wilsons’ yoga-flow, though.

“I find it offensive that, although I have worked and paid taxes in this city for 40 years, my voice does not matter,” an anonymous writer stated in an Oct. 24 letter to WE Vancouver. “Yet there is a couple on Point Grey Road who will benefit from a traffic calming area, [and] who have decided to promote a graffiti zone that I am sure will encourage other ‘taggers’ to desecrate our neighbourhoods. Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Lulu.”

Billionaires do what they want i guess

[themcdeal]

Holy crap

I wonder what his place looks like? $37million dollar home....

I think I got to mesmerized by that to even pay attention to the story lol

[KFBR392]

Don't people have bigger fish to fry in their daily lives?

What was done there will undoubtedly look better than a blank or loosely tagged wall. People seriously complain about everything these days...

[Cpt.Clutch]

The only reason this is even in the news is to stir up more anger against the upper class from the middle and lower classes. As if there is some higher moral ground to stand on because of a silly painting.

Give it up, stop trying to entice people into into a rage over silly things. I want real news stories, like what is really happening in the middle east, or what my local MP did for my city today, or what great new discovery was made, etc.

[Dellins]

Holy crap

I wonder what his place looks like? $37million dollar home....

I think I got to mesmerized by that to even pay attention to the story lol

Walked by it this past summer during one of the fireworks nights... looks very very pretty and modern. Lots of white.

[:D]

Why is this news?

[CanuckofSteel]

For some strange unexplained reason I thought the topic title was

"Lululemon pants getting wet from hot water become see through"

I don't why, but it would have been a much more interesting article.

[CanuckGAME]

You know what. This man owns a company that makes yoga pants.

And for this reason. He gets a pass from me. He could kill 100 puppies and he would still be a legend in my eyes.