The message first came across Instagram. The street artist Dee Dee (@deedeewashere) was cleaning out her studio and leaving a 24″ x 48″ piece from 2015 — “This Film’s Crap Let’s Slash The Seats” — out on Staple Street. “I need room in my studio,” she wrote. “Someone go give it a home.”

 

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自由 FREE! Now, on Staple St (between Jay and Duane) in Tribeca. This 24”x48” piece “This Film’s Crap Let’s Slash The Seats” is from 2015. I need room in my studio. Someone go give it a home. More to come! #deedee #deedeewashere #deedeelovesyou #deedeesplayhouse #streetart #newyork #nyc #itsdeedeebitch

A post shared by Dee Dee (@deedeewashere) on Apr 11, 2020 at 9:37am PDT

I got a text from Christy Frank of Frankly Wines, who asked me to run out and grab it: “Much wine for anyone who goes and grabs it for me!” But I had to deputize Henley Vazquez who deputized Xabi Vazquez who ran out within a couple minutes. Gone.

At the same time Jolene Howard was also on Staple, having seen the same post. “I fast-walked down to the little alley within 30 minutes of her post and it was gone.” But she noted this added hint on Instagram: “More to come!”

Sure enough, this post, a couple hours later: “Mercer bet Grand & Spring. This was an experiment that started but never finished. He’s been hanging around my studio but doing a spring cleaning. Want to give him a home? Soho. Now.”

 

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自由 UPDATE: Gone. Enjoy you’re new home. – Mercer bet Grand & Spring. This was an experiment that started but never finished. He’s been hanging around my studio but doing a spring cleaning. Want to give him a home? Soho. Now. ???? #deedee #deedeewashere #deedeelovesyou #deedeesplayhouse #streetart #springcleaning #newyork #nyc #itsdeedeebitch

A post shared by Dee Dee (@deedeewashere) on Apr 11, 2020 at 3:26pm PDT

Jolene was on it. And now it’s hanging in her apartment, found just in time for her husband Brian’s birthday that day. “Brian and I masked-up and took a second brisk walk to the site and UNBELIEVABLY are now the proud owners of a deedeewashere original!”

Talk about a happy ending.