What we do (or do not) post on the Wooster website can sometimes be a very difficult decision. 

Yesterday was one of those difficult decisions.

If you know us, then you know that the Wooster Collective is much, much more than just a website.  In some ways, it’s a shorthand way for us to communicate with our friends.  What’s most important to us is meeting and interacting with an incredible group of people from around the globe who share a common view of the world.  The site is our way of communicating with them.  It isn’t perfect, because it doesn’t need to be perfect. 

We, like so many others around the world, love the Brazilian street art scene. We love the street artists there, and we love the team that runs the Choque Gallery.  We consider them part of our family.

When we first saw the photos of the Choque Gallery we were shocked and incredibly saddened.  Our hearts sank.  And we knew others - our friends - would be saddened and shocked too. We put the photos up on the website yesterday for only one reason - to share the news of what happened in Sao Paulo with our friends who may not have known that this incredibly violent act had taken place.  We knew that they would be shocked and saddened as well.  We knew that they would come to the support of the gallery and the artists.  It was one of those instances where the pictures spoke for themselves.  We were speechless and we knew others would be too. 

We now realize that by not speaking out yesterday we may have given the wrong impression to those who do not know us.

To be clear - In no way do we want to appear to be promoting or condoning what happened in Sao Paulo. By not commenting on the photos yesterday we now realize that some people may be thinking that we took this act lightly.  We didn’t. The Choque Gallery is a true labor of love and we want to see it thrive and provide new platforms for Brazilian artists. We believe strongly that these artists have every right to find success in and outside the galleries. 

The work that was hung on those gallery walls was done with incredible heart and love.  We know that because we’ve met the artists and we know the passion that they have. 

We support the Choque Cultural Gallery and the artists who’s work is shown there and we hope you will as well.