UNIQLO Sponsors “Above Ground: Art from the Martin Wong Graffiti Collection” at the Museum of the City of New York.
Nov 22, 2024
NEWS
Photo (above) by Martha Cooper
To coincide with UNIQLO USA's sponsorship of the Museum of the City of New York's exhibition "Above Ground: Art from the Martin Wong Graffiti Collection," UNIQLO has partnered with 3 icons from New York City's golden age of graffiti to create a UTme! collection for all to enjoy the remarkable creativity of that time and place. The NYC Graffiti Icons UTme! collection is available only in our 5th Avenue Global Flagship Store and our Soho Flagship Store, from November 22nd.
About "Above Ground: Art from the Martin Wong Graffiti Collection"
This exhibition provides a window into a vibrant subculture of young creators and highlights previously unseen treasures from the Museum's collection of graffiti-based art. The collection, donated by the artist Martin Wong 30 years ago, comprises more than 300 canvases and works on paper. Among the exhibition's highlights are works in aerosol, ink, and other mediums by seminal figures in the street art movement, including Rammellzee, Lee Quinones, Lady Pink, and Futura. Together, they capture the passions and ambitions of artists transitioning from the street to the walls of prominent galleries in New York and worldwide. Learn more about this amazing exhibit here.
About the Museum:
The Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) fosters an understanding of the distinctive nature of urban life in the world's most influential metropolis. It engages visitors by celebrating, documenting, and interpreting the city's past, present, and future. Founded in 1923, the Museum has been an egalitarian cultural destination for over 100 years. A long-time member of the Cultural Institutions Group, MCNY is housed in a 1932 Georgian Colonial-Revival building on the Museum Mile at 5th Avenue and 104th Street. Now more than ever, MCNY remains deeply committed to its mission to empower audiences to actively engage with their city by using New York City history as a resource for social impact and civic engagement.
About the Creators featured in the UTme! NYC Graffiti Icons collection:
Martha Cooper:
Martha Cooper is a documentary photographer specializing in shooting urban vernacular art and architecture for over 45 years. In 1977, Martha moved to New York City and worked as a staff photographer for the NY Post for 3 years. During that time, she began documenting graffiti and b-boying, which led to her early coverage of hip hop as it emerged from the Bronx. Her photos, published worldwide, helped make urban art and hip hop the predominant international youth movements they are today.
Enrique Torres:
Part One (Enrique Torres) is one of the early graffiti-style writing pioneers who created some of the most brilliant artworks on New York City's subway trains. He is a veteran of the golden years of New York City subway painting and is considered a style master in the graffiti world, specializing in his brand of lettering, which he started to develop in 1974. Between 1974 and 1985, he was one of the most accomplished artists on the New York City subway trains.
John Matos:
John 'Crash' Matos was raised in the Bronx, New York. He got his alias 'Crash' after accidentally crashing a computer in his school. In 1975, he painted his first train. Since then, his alias 'Crash' has appeared on trains throughout New York City. In 1978, he became one of the first graffiti writers to start painting on canvas. Soon, his artworks were exhibited in galleries next to Keith Haring's and Jean-Michel Basquiat's pieces.
About "Above Ground: Art from the Martin Wong Graffiti Collection"
On Exhibition: November 22, 2024–August 10, 2025
This exhibition provides a window into a vibrant subculture of young creators and highlights previously unseen treasures from the Museum's collection of graffiti-based art. The collection, donated by the artist Martin Wong 30 years ago, comprises more than 300 canvases and works on paper. Among the exhibition's highlights are works in aerosol, ink, and other mediums by seminal figures in the street art movement, including Rammellzee, Lee Quinones, Lady Pink, and Futura. Together, they capture the passions and ambitions of artists transitioning from the street to the walls of prominent galleries in New York and worldwide. Learn more about this amazing exhibit here.
About the Museum:
The Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) fosters an understanding of the distinctive nature of urban life in the world's most influential metropolis. It engages visitors by celebrating, documenting, and interpreting the city's past, present, and future. Founded in 1923, the Museum has been an egalitarian cultural destination for over 100 years. A long-time member of the Cultural Institutions Group, MCNY is housed in a 1932 Georgian Colonial-Revival building on the Museum Mile at 5th Avenue and 104th Street. Now more than ever, MCNY remains deeply committed to its mission to empower audiences to actively engage with their city by using New York City history as a resource for social impact and civic engagement.
About the Creators featured in the UTme! NYC Graffiti Icons collection:
Martha Cooper:
Martha Cooper is a documentary photographer specializing in shooting urban vernacular art and architecture for over 45 years. In 1977, Martha moved to New York City and worked as a staff photographer for the NY Post for 3 years. During that time, she began documenting graffiti and b-boying, which led to her early coverage of hip hop as it emerged from the Bronx. Her photos, published worldwide, helped make urban art and hip hop the predominant international youth movements they are today.
Enrique Torres:
Part One (Enrique Torres) is one of the early graffiti-style writing pioneers who created some of the most brilliant artworks on New York City's subway trains. He is a veteran of the golden years of New York City subway painting and is considered a style master in the graffiti world, specializing in his brand of lettering, which he started to develop in 1974. Between 1974 and 1985, he was one of the most accomplished artists on the New York City subway trains.
John Matos:
John 'Crash' Matos was raised in the Bronx, New York. He got his alias 'Crash' after accidentally crashing a computer in his school. In 1975, he painted his first train. Since then, his alias 'Crash' has appeared on trains throughout New York City. In 1978, he became one of the first graffiti writers to start painting on canvas. Soon, his artworks were exhibited in galleries next to Keith Haring's and Jean-Michel Basquiat's pieces.