Time Magazine's new graffiti billboard in SoHo is already creating its fair share of controversy, says Gothamist. For example, Peter Vallone, a City Councilmember from Queens, is upset that Time seems to be endorsing urban street graffiti: "Time magazine should have spent its money rewarding legitimate artists, not some punk who's been defacing our city."

The billboard, created by Fernando Carlo (aka "Cope2") for $20,000, is actually a clever ad for Time magazine: "Post-Modernism? Neo-Expressionism? Just Vandalism? Time. Know why." Anyone who watched "The Apprentice" last season can appreciate the appeal of grafitti advertising for mainstream companies trying to appear hip. Anyone remember how Donald Trump rolled up in his limo at a Harlem grafitti billboard site (with hip-hop music blaring) to help a videogame company promote a new game?