By Lincoln Anderson
People are puzzled over the “Boycott Mogador” sign that recently went up in the De La Vega Museum’s window on St. Mark’s Place. The signs adds to the already enigmatic “Jews Only” chairs that have been outside the quirky museum, off and on, previously. The sign appeared last week.
A year ago, James De La Vega, the street artist who owns the museum, at 102 St. Mark’s Place, objected when Woody Allen was filming a movie at the cafe. He reportedly felt the movie’s trailers parked in front of his store were keeping people from coming into his place. De La Vega set up two large loudspeakers and blared music, disrupting the shoot. Allen himself reportedly asked the artist to turn down the music, but he refused.
Last Saturday night, at the bustling cafe, employees said they don’t know what precipitated the new boycott sign, but that they are basically ignoring it — and ignoring De La Vega. The 27-year-old cafe is owned by a Moroccan Jew from Israel. De La Vega, who is Puerto Rican, grew up in Spanish Harlem, and opened his St. Mark’s museum about five years ago. His motto is “Become Your Dream.”
“It’s got us all baffled. The owner’s really upset about it,” said Bonnie Chaplin, a waitress.
The sign — which hangs next to a drawing of the artist’s mother — isn’t hurting business, she added.
“Actually, we have people coming in in support,” she said.
Chaplin said she used to be friends with De La Vega, and used to wear his T-shirts, but won’t now. She said she thought he had once dated a woman who worked at Mogador.
“I’ve worked here seven years,” the Australian native said. “This is kind of like my family. I’m kind of upset about it,” she said of the boycott sign.
“I think he wants attention,” said Ariela Hazan, the cafe’s manager. “He probably wants this article to be written on him.”
“He makes glances over at us,” said waiter Chris Barreto. “People come over and say that he said not to eat here.” People go into De La Vega’s store when they are waiting for a table at the cafe, Barreto added. “It’s like we’re bringing him business. If people weren’t waiting for a table, you wouldn’t have any business,” he said of the artist. “And then he’s got his whole ‘Become Your Dream’ thing. His dream was to be a [jerk].”
Yosi Yudborovsky, who works at the Holyland Market down the block, which sells imported Israeli products, said artists always like to push the envelope, but De La Vega is making people uncomfortable. He said his girlfriend asked De La Vega about the sign, but he answered, “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Clients kind of feel insult,” said Yudborovsky. “He can still have his place and his stuff. But I think you have to know the limits. It’s a complicated city with people from all over the world — you’re supposed to respect.”
At other times, De La Vega has put chairs in front of his shop with “Fat Girls Only” and “Asians Only” signs on them.
A Villager reporter went into the store last week and asked De La Vega about the sign, but he said he didn’t want to talk about it.
On Monday, The Villager called De La Vega’s store and left a message, again, asking what his beef was with the cafe, and the following day got a message in return.
“This is Rena, calling on behalf of the De La Vega Museum,” the message said. “At this time, De La Vega is giving no statements to the press — and the boycott sign does speak for itself.”
