This morning the repeatedly painted frontage of the Harding Theater on Divisadero near SFist's Western Branch office saw some much-needed white washing. You might remember the space, which has been tagged over three or four times since we last mentioned it, as the former home of such well-loved murals as "Kittenzilla", "Unfinished Gaia Piece with the Two Calves" or a slew of unintelligible scribblings legible only to the connoisseurs.
This latest work of eggshell-shaded minimalism completely covers the layers of tags and murals, leaving only the message, "ANTI GRAFFITTI HERO" [sic] tucked in the corner along with some grey and white triangles. (And a couple empty cans of primer and latex paint by the sidewalk trashcan.) We're left to wonder if the artist's motive was to clean up the neighborhood, or just to clear the slate for the next round of budding can-rattlers. (Taggers, of course, love to misspell things, so the spelling on "graffiti" seems to indicate it was an inside job.) Likewise: emails to Gallery Heist, who originally organized the temporary mural space, weren't immediately returned so they're not taking credit for it yet either.
Finally, if you need something to be outraged about (or at least a topic of discussion at your next cocktail party) Anti-Graffitti Hero did cover up a poster by recent Mastermind Grant recipient Hugh Leeman, so there's your argument about street artists looking for opportunistic fame.
Previously on SFist: Laser Cat Mural Delights Divisadero
Breaking: Laser Cat Mural Vandalized
And Here We Are: Divisadero Street Art Incident Explained