This Land Is Their Mine

Ilan explains his art: "It's a play on the art scene in Miami. It's mostly controlled by the people who have enough money but don't know anything about art." He says the piece was also a statement about the war — how Americans put a happy face on everything as we do terrible things in other countries.

Eventually the cops arrived and exiled Ilan and his dad to a nearby field. The next evening the pair was met with less resistance. They set up on NE Second Avenue in the Design District, near Ilan's school.

"He was very frustrated after Friday night," says Todd. "But I thought it was a great lesson for him. If you're going to make art so that people get it, then don't do art. Real artists don't set out to make things people understand." — Tamara Lush