Graffiti charges vs Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara are dropped in NYC

Charges against Japanese artist dropped in NYC

NEW YORK — Japanese pop artist Yoshitomo Nara has something to smile about.

Nara was arrested in New York City in February for scrawling a smiley face with a marker on a subway station wall. He was charged with making graffiti and criminal mischief and even spent a night in jail.

The charges against Nara were dropped Thursday.

The incident occurred just before an exhibit of Nara’s work opened at a gallery in the city’s Chelsea neighborhood.

Nara’s works of doe-eyed, cartoon-like children have sold for as much as $1.5 million.

He lives in Tochigi, Japan.

Information from: New York Post, www.nypost.com