Art is a powerful form of freedom of expression, and Chandrika Metivier used it to communicate ideas, emotions and experiences without censorship or limitations.
For the non-binary multidisciplinary artist, it was a way to resist, be heard and ultimately reclaim her freedom. Metivier was arrested, and faced criminal charges and huge fines for painting over Houston’s iconic ‘Be Someone’ bridge with messages of activism, calls for peace, voter engagement, and women’s rights. This was a legal battle that threatened to silence her voice.
Instead, art set her free. After a couple of years of fighting the legal battle, Metivier’s charges were dismissed. The experience that once punished her became the foundation for “Free Someone,” Project Row Houses (PRH)’ first-ever graffiti Round 58 art showcase from March 8 to June 1.
The event turns walls of resistance into canvases of liberation, honoring Houston’s street art legacy and the voices that refuse to be erased. This initiative, in her legal case, required Metivier to participate in an anti-graffiti campaign.
However, when Metivier spoke with PRH Curator Cydney Pickens about her situation, they saw an opportunity to shift the narrative. Instead of a punitive campaign, PRH proposed honoring graffiti culture, recognizing the medium as a legitimate and vital form of artistic expression in Houston.
Her work in the showcase is titled “Censored,” an immersive portal that explores protest, art, censorship, activism, surveillance and graffiti. The viewer is confronted with these elements and views them through binoculars. The piece features clips of censored global histories, a poem, a video of the artist embodying censorship and examples of protest art for different movements.
“Since the city didn’t give me specific directions on how to fulfill this condition, Project Row Houses took this opportunity to create something meaningful,” Metivier said. “Cydney had already envisioned a project celebrating Houston’s graffiti artists, so we combined forces. That’s how ‘Free Someone’ was born.”
The title carries deep symbolism. It acknowledges how graffiti artists have used their craft to break free from societal constraints, pushing messages of resistance, identity and cultural pride into the public eye.
“She [Pickens] decided to name the Round Free someone, which I thought was so clever and brilliant because of the bridge I had been painting was given the name “Be Someone’”, Metivier said. “Because this case ended up getting dismissed through this round, it literally freed someone.”
PRH is a Houston institution that enriches communities through art and has long championed cultural identity and creative activism. This showcase features eight artists who have shaped Houston’s graffiti scene for decades. The Defender also spoke to Phillip “Article” Perez, Iris Karami and Craig “BBC” Long. Each brings unique perspectives on the evolution of street art in the city.
“I think art is often seen as a luxury, but when you think of graffiti, it’s not so luxurious. People think of big paintings that cost a lot of money and are enjoyed by a small group of people. Graffiti can be enjoyed by everyone,” Pickens said. “And the fact that the artists not only don’t get paid, they get arrested, they get shot at, they get beaten. It proves that art is a necessity and that no matter what your circumstances are, you have a need to see beauty and create beauty.”
PRH has seven art houses where artists showcase their work under one common theme. The artists had two weeks to install their artwork. These themed showcases are hosted twice a year. As a curator, Pickens says the selection process for artists varies from online applications to referrals, to physically attending 30-50 community events.
A lot of the artists featured in this installation, haven’t gotten the opportunity to do artwork that wasn’t commissioned. So they were able to be free and show something that wasn’t necessarily an advertisement, but something that they really wanted to create
Cydney Pickens, Project Row Houses Curator
in a different space.
Karami, a former TV reporter and filmmaker, is showcasing her documentaries Painted Borders, which pays homage to Palestine and the greater topic of immigration, and Be Someone: An H-Town Graffiti Story, which explores Grafitti art culture and the impact of the iconic graffiti piece of the same name that has inspired many in the city.
“The Be Someone Bridge was really inspirational to me at a young age,” Karami said. “Being from a first-generation background, having to do everything by myself, that bridge made me curious. It made me wonder about the artist’s ambition and motives.”
Her work later expanded into Project Row Houses, where she participated in Round 58 of the exhibition series. Karami had the opportunity to meet many of Houston’s influential graffiti artists and learn about the deeper stories behind their work. Through her involvement, she gained insight into how graffiti is more than just paint on walls. It’s a form of self-expression, a declaration of existence, and, in many cases, an act of resilience against systemic barriers.
“This is a space where we can have a safe environment to show people how profound graffiti is,” Karami said. “There’s a famous saying that if graffiti didn’t change anything, it wouldn’t be illegal. It brings change, and that’s why it matters.”
As a teenager, Perez was drawn to graffiti as a way to escape the realities of his environment. He found solace in the spray can, transforming blank walls into vibrant expressions of identity and resistance. But his passion for street art came at a cost. In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, graffiti was seen as nothing more than vandalism, and artists like Perez were constantly looking over their shoulders, dodging law enforcement while searching for the next canvas.
“I remember the first time I got caught [by Police],” Perez recalled. “I was 16, and they treated me like I was some kind of criminal. But for me, graffiti was never about destruction. It was about being seen, about saying ‘I’m here.’”
Despite the risks, Perez remained undeterred. Over time, he honed his skills and gained the respect of fellow artists. He became part of Houston’s underground graffiti network, a tight-knit community that viewed street art as a form of storytelling. His work, though often temporary, left a lasting impression.
The city that once shunned graffiti began embracing it—at least selectively. Murals commissioned by businesses and city programs flourished, while artists from the streets were still treated as criminals. “It’s frustrating,” he said. “We helped shape the culture, but when corporations decide graffiti is trendy, suddenly it’s ‘street art’ and acceptable.”
His artwork at PRH is bold, symbolic and educational. The front of the house is decked out in pink and purple with the words “House Party 3rd Ward” written prominently at the top of the building reminiscent of the 1994 Classic film House Party 1 cover art design. Once you walk onto the porch, you are immediately greeted by a painting on the door that says “Graffiti for Dummies. Come and learn about graffiti.” The icing on the cake was when you open the house door to find the house showing his full range as an artist from spray paint to graffiti writing.
“It took me 10 days to put this together. Man, I was exhausted, but it was worth it,” Perez said. “I want to teach people that spray paint art and graffiti writing aren’t the same. People confuse the two concepts all the time.”
Longtime graffiti artist Craig “BBC” Long sees this event as a long-overdue acknowledgment of an art form often dismissed as vandalism. “We’ve been using the city as our canvas for decades,” he said. “This showcase finally gives us the platform to tell our stories, to let people see the artistry, the history and the messages behind our work.”
A first-generation b-boy and a veteran of the city’s hip-hop scene, Long’s presence in Round 58 is more than just a display of his art; he is considered the “connective tissue” within the community.
“I’ve been doing artwork a very long time and I’ve been a part of hip-hop culture in Houston for a very long time,” he said. “I did a little bit of everything.”
His journey began in the early ’80s, customizing jackets, T-shirts, hats and evolved alongside the four elements of hip-hop: b-boying, DJing, MCing, and graffiti. Long’s connection to the other artists in the showcase is profound. He’s crossed paths with them throughout their artistic journeys, providing support and inspiration.
Through his mantra HHIFE Life (Houston Hip Hop It’s For Everybody), Long strives to showcase the breadth of hip-hop culture.
“So if you’re an outsider coming into this showcase, you get an in-depth view of how different each hip-hop or graffiti artist is. They all have these same ingredients, but they’re all cooking differently,” he said. “I was tasked with actually being able to help people navigate within this room, how some of the people got in trouble, how some of the people did it on the low low and how…It’s a lifestyle for some of the people.”
