Filed under: Back In The Days, Graffiti, Inspiration | Tags: Boston, Boston Legend, Breakdancing, Cash, Cash Lee Foreman, Cousin CASH, Coz, DJing, Graffiti, Hip-Hop, R.I.P.
Boston lost a legend last week. CASH/COZ, a big inspiration to me and my generation in Boston graffiti late 80’s/ early 90’s.
If you’re in Boston tonight…
CASH/ COZ in action. Dudley Station Boston, 1986 (*flick stolen from internet).
Filed under: Art, Back In The Days, Graffiti, Music, Photography | Tags: 2002, 2003, Alone, Alone One, Alone1, AloneOne, Cheat, Murals, Music, NYC, Raekwon, Shaolin, Spraypaint, Staten Island, The Hood, Wu Tang Clan
Old flick… painting for Raekwon’s video “The Hood”, Staten Island, 2002…
photo: CHEAT OD
Filed under: Art Show, Graffiti, Inspiration | Tags: Adam Adelson, Adelson Galleries, Art Shows, Boston, Caype, Graffiti, Keep Caype Free, News, OD, OD Crew, Press, Ten Artists, The Boston Globe, Tyson Andree
My homie CAYPE in an article from THE BOSTON GLOBE, May 31, 2013 (reprinted from here and here):
“GRAFFITI ARTIST FIGHTS HIS ADDICTION TO STREET ART”
by Aaron Dentel-Post GLOBE CORRESPONDENT MAY 31, 2013
Former graffiti artist Tyson Andree has fine arts works in a group exhibition in Adelson Galleries Boston through June 30.
Graffiti gained popularity as art on New York City subway trains in the 1970s. Andree says he’s been told that it was artists named Gene, short for Genius, and Sen2 who brought it to Boston around 1980. He says his history of the Boston graffiti scene comes from an artist named Click, one of the originators of Boston’s graffiti scene.
By 1983, Boston had a full-blown graffiti culture. The elevated Orange Line route that ran through Roxbury was a particular hot spot, with graffiti works lining roofs and high walls within view of passing trains.
More than two decades later, balanced on a girder over the iron-gray water of the Charles River, Andree, now 33, is going by the name Caype, and he must be one of the most prolific and longest active graffiti writers in Boston’s history. It’s also a chapter in his life he’s trying to move past.
He is the first graffiti artist to be represented by the Adelson Galleries Boston, which deals primarily in artwork by contemporary and modern masters like Jim Dine, Andrew Wyeth, Alex Katz, and others. Andree is included in a group show titled “Ten Artists,” which runs through June 30.
Some of his works on paper have also been included in Barry McGee’s exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art.
Filed under: Art, Art Show, Books, Graffiti, Inspiration | Tags: 2013, Alert, Alone, Alone One, Alone1, AloneOne, Art Show, Book release, Books, Christian Acker, Cinik, Cornbread, Cosbe, Eric Haze, Faust, Flip The Script, Graffiti, Grey PVC, Gyer, Handstyles, Kaves, LES, Lions, Lower East Side, Mike Giant, New York, New York City, NYC, Reed Space, Release Party, Slick, SR One THR, Stay High 149, Sure, Toper, Typography, White Rabbit
I got a piece in…
Flip The Script” Book Release + Art Show
at…
REED SPACE
151 Orchard St
(Lower East Side) NYC
Thursday, April 4th. 7-10PM.
UPDATE: Some follow up photos from the night HERE.
Filed under: Graffiti, Inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized | Tags: Atlanta, Bombing, Boston, Chicago, D-30, Detroit, Fill-ins, Graffiti, Houston, Los Angeles, MSK, NEKST, New York, New York City, NYC, Philadelphia, R.I.P., Rest In Peace, Saint Louis, San Francisco, St. Louis, Subways, Trains
The graffiiti world lost another one yesterday with the early passing of Houston CA NYC, nationwide crusher “NEKST”…
NEKST – Spring and Bowery (NYC)
“MSK” by NEKST, seen from the Williamsburg Bridge
“NEKST” Houston St. (NYC)**
“NEKST” MBTA Red Line (Boston) **
* stolen pic from theKeeganGibbs.com
** stolen pic from ?
Filed under: Art, Graffiti | Tags: 2012, Alone, Alone One, Alone1, AloneOne, Art, Brooklyn, dioramas, Hec, M.T.A., models, New York, NYC, OBT, Orange Baboon Tarantula, Orange Bitey Thing, Pets, Poster Boy, Posterboy, Revs, spiders, Subway, Tarantulas
A little (literally) diorama I made of the Franklin Ave. Station (Brooklyn) for a juvenile OBT tarantula to live in…
A few pics before the spidee moved in…
And one more post move-in and webbing…
“NYC Subway/ Tarantula Diorama”
4″ x 4″ x 8″
paper, cardboard, styrofoam, wood, n-scale model train track, acrylic paint, marker, plastic enclosure and… one OBT tarantula
2012
Filed under: Books, Graffiti | Tags: As Seen In..., Can It, Graffiti, M.T.A., New York City, NYC, SubCulture, SubCulture Zine, Zines
Appears I got a little shine on the cover of the new zine “SubCulture #1: Can It”. Good looks.
From their site:
SubCulture #1: Can It
Introducing SubCulture, a new zine about art and culture in the subway. The first issue, entitled “Can It,” is all about the old style trash cans in the subway. These cans acted as a canvas for graffiti writers up until they were discontinued in 2011.
The handmade zine includes 32 pages (including the color cover) of images and text on the topic. Each one comes with the following: one numbered copy of SubCulture #1: Can It, an unique envelope that mimics the design of the subway trash cans complete with a mini CAN IT FOR A GREENER PLANET sticker and handmade mini stickers by over 15 different artists, a Subway Art Blog business card and vinyl sticker, and at least one other assorted sticker.
The zine is limited to an edition of 100. SubCulture is now available at the Subway Art Blog store at: subwayart.bigcartel.com
Filed under: Art, Books, Graffiti, Inspiration, Photography | Tags: 2012, Alone, Alone One, Alone1, AloneOne, As Seen In..., Baser, Brooklyn, Carnage, CarnageNYC, Crast, graf, Graffiti, Interviews, Minus, NYC, Stickers, True Grit, Zines
New zine out from CarnageNYC. Thick 60 pages of pics and interviews, stickers, and dope silkscreened covers (frameable pieces themselves). Check em out…
“Stuck” No 1 consists of 60 pages of previously unreleased photos of some of the sickest NYC stickers plus interviews with BASER, ALONE, MINUS and CRASTY. Each copy of the zine comes with three hand-written stickers, along with a full set of four vinyl stickers made exclusively for this issue. The cover image was screenprinted over layers of stickers and up to four colors of paint, giving each cover a completely unique look and texture. (Note: a very small number of covers are available in white ink). Stuck is limited to 300 hand-numbered copies. More info and pics at CarnageNYC. Get a copy here. |
Filed under: Graffiti, Photography | Tags: Bloods, Brooklyn, Crips, Gang Graffiti, Gangs, Graffiti, New York, New York City, NYC
After aborting my Los Angeles relocation a few years ago, I thought along with the gang driven drive-by shootings and talk of “colors”, I’d also be leaving the accompanying graffiti. Well, maybe not so quick. Seems that New York has been getting its fair share of gang turf wars as evident on the streets of Brooklyn…
Filed under: Art, Graffiti | Tags: 2007, 2011, Alone, Alone One, Alone1, AloneOne, Art, As Seen In..., Auto, Cars, Graffiti, Murals, Paintings, spraypainted, The Boston Globe
A car I painted back in ’06/’07 spotted in a photo in the Boston Globe (some story about The Big Dig) recently…
Here’s a better pic of the car…
Filed under: Graffiti, Inspiration | Tags: Boston, Graffiti, Inspiration, Jamaica Plain, Old-School, X-MEN
OK, first off I have to say this is barely an original post, all the pics are stolen off the internet along with the Dash history lesson, but the influence that Boston X-MEN had on my graffiti beginnings can’t be stated enough. Early to mid eighties, Boston’s elevated MBTA orange line was the center of graffiti. Looking out the windows at the cityscapes and the beautiful rooftop murals and signatures made a huge impression on me. When the el was taken down in 1989 focus turned to the streets. And from Egleston Square to Forest Hills up to Roslindale Square… it was all X-MEN…
a classic “X-MEN” blockbuster by MK. Not sure where this one was. There was one of these on a fire escape facing Egleston Sq in 89-90. It was a landmark spot. A very official “Welcome to Egleston: this is X-MEN territory!”
“SCENE” wasn’t X-MEN, but the “DASH” under SCENE’s “S” was. And this photo really brings back memories. After the orange line moved from it’s elevated Washington Street location to it’s present trench location, Amory and Lamartine streets became the new Washington Street in a way. This building was on Lamartine between Paul Gore and Wyman Streets. I would pass this on the regular going to see my first girlfriend on Sheridan St, so of course this time was quite impressionable. When this building was removed in the early 90’s for some new condos (a sign of times to come), it really was a nail in the coffin for an amazing era in Boston graffiti and my youth.
“MK” and “RICH3” at the top of the bleachers at English High School, home to many a writer’s meatings. Probably 1990. Well visible from Washington Street and Williams Street when cutting over to Amory Street. Great Spot.
great hand styles by WISDOM (X-MEN TUF).

Here’s a quick history lesson taken from BostonGraffitiGhosts.com…
Filed under: Art, Graffiti, Inspiration, Photography, Ramblings | Tags: 2009, Aakash Nihalani, Bushwick, Graffiti, Graffiti vs. Street Art, New York, New York City, NYC, Photography, Poster Boy, Posterboy, Street Art, Streets
If street artists want to co-exist and be accepted by the graffiti world, there’s an old graffiti rule that they should understand. “DO NOT GO OVER OTHER PEOPLE.” ESPECIALLY if it’s bigger, better, or old. Sure those tags and those filled in “throw up” letters DO make a nice looking background to your street art. But that graffiti was there FIRST. It might not seem like much, but those letters were done on the spot with risk of arrest, possibly by someone from another city/country , a king, or even a RIPed writer’s last artifact. Undoubtedly potential historic pieces in the graffiti world. You CAN NOT go over them. Go BEHIND them? Hmm.. Maaaybe? ..If it’s done respectfully. This is a pic I took in Bushwick back in 2009..
Posterboy and Aakash Nihalani playin by the rules.
“Give respect, Get respect.”
Filed under: Art, Back In The Days, Books, Graffiti, Inspiration, Photography, Vintage Spraypaint | Tags: "History Of American Graffiti", 2011, 5AV, Albuquerque, Alert, Alone, Alone 1, Alone One, Alone1, AloneOne, American Graffiti, Atlanta, Baltimore, Bay Area, Blackbooks, Books, Boston, Caleb Neelon, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, East Chicago, Freight Train, Freight Trains, Future textbooks, Graffiti, Hawaii, History, History of Graffiti, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Minnesota, Nashville, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York City, NY, NYC, OD, Oregon, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Providence, Reviews, Roger Gastman, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Spraypaint, Tagbanging, Texas, Virginia, Washington D.C., Washington DC, Wisconsin
This book came out about a month ago. I meant to do a comprehensive review on it, but with about 400 PAGES a proper review would take months for me to write. And I don’t want to reveal too much of the book. Here’s a small preview…
First, the cover. Take off that paper one that it came with and reveal the (MUCH doper, in my opinion) vintage spraycans cover hiding under there.
Then get ready for a Graffiti History 101 on the history of over 25 cities. Just check out the Contents pages!..
Instead of starting with the expectected Cornbread and Taki 183 stories, it starts earlier with other forms of graffiti.
Of course any history book is bound to overemphasize certain people and events and omits others (REZENT! LOST!). However the Boston and New York sections are pretty accurate and no way as biased as it could have been. I’m not so knowledgeable on the other cities, but hopefully they are just as accurate.
In addition to the individual city chapters, there’s profiles on some very influential writers such as Cost, Revs, Twist, and others.
Then to top things off, they’ve even included info on spraypaint, blackbooks, tagbanging, freights, the list goes on..
I was very pleased to see the Boston chapter giving just credit to the X-men, Jayrock, Remote, and of course the much justified write up and photos of Alert (OD. KBN. 5AV) and Ryze (5AV KBN.) in the Boston chapter.
The OD crew gets their mention. I get a mention and some quote. And a photo (not one I would have chosen.. guess I should have submitted some of my own.) of an “AN” I did on the Porter MBTA tracks in 1993. Yup, the “Star Market wall”.
They also go on in the Denver section about Alert and Hel (OD KBN) relocating out there and hooking up with SWS.
Overall, this is a great book that will undoubtedly (like it or not) be used as THE first and foremost account of 20th century graffiti and will be studied for centuries to come. Grab a copy while you can still get an original first pressing.
*** Oh yeah, BIG THANKS to Caleb and Roger for hooking up me up with a copy of the book!!
Filed under: Graffiti, Politics | Tags: A.W.R, AWR, Graffiti, L.A., L.A. River, Los Angeles, Los Angeles River, M.S.K., MSK, Politics, Saber
Some well spoken words from SABER MSK…
THE DEVIL WEARS A PINK SUIT: A RESPONSE TO “RADICAL GRAFFITI CHIC”
.
Saber, “Sacred Trash” at MOCA’s “Art in the Streets” exhibition
After looking at the longest list of credentials of one person I’ve ever seen—Yale, University Of Cambridge, Stanford Law, Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, contributing editor of City Journal, recipient of 2005 Bradley Prize for Outstanding Intellectual Achievement, etc, etc—I came to the conclusion that approaching Heather Mac Donald’s fortified intellect would be the equivalent of challenging the IBM Chess Terminator: cold, calculating, and absent a pulse. I find it hard to believe that someone of such high stature would spend so much energy on something that seems trivial in comparison to her passion for deportation and torture. Yet she seems really upset at the idea of a museum honoring over forty years of development in Graffiti Art.
In her lengthy article “Radical Graffiti Chic,” she refers to artists as “vandal-anarchist wannabes” and attempts to highlight their hypocrisy. She names me personally in the article, stating that I am quick to sell out to any corporate sponsor: “Saber, who declares in an interview with the graffiti journal Arrested Motion that ‘there is no room for empathy when there is a motive for profit,’ has sold his designs to Levi’s, Hyundai, and Harley-Davidson.”
In trying to paint me as a hypocrite for capitalizing on my intellectual property, Heather does not take into account that I support my family through my art. I have painted everything from sets to faux finishing to gold leafing to put food on the table or to pay for health care bills, since insurance companies have refused to cover me due to a pre-existing condition (epilepsy). Heather, who is paid to write articles, should understand the process of making money for one’s creative output, and that this is not what I was referring to in the Arrested Motion quote. I was referring to health insurance companies taking away accessible facilities from sick people in order to save a buck at the expense of the patient’s life. To compare my art to the health insurance companies is ludicrous. Continue reading