Culture

NY artist brings graffiti show to capital

By Qin Zhongwei (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-11-24 08:02

A visitor to Chang Art Gallery snaps some shots of the colorful graffiti art. [Photo/China Daily]

A very colorful slice of the Big Apple is in Beijing until the end of the year at Chang Art Gallery.

New York, known as the city that never sleeps, certainly has its eyes open to urban artistic styles - a major player of which is graffiti art.

This authentic Bronx flavor - on subways and alley walls for over 30 years - has arrived in Beijing, as part of an ongoing exhibition at 798's Chang Art Gallery.

Around 20 large graffiti paintings are hanging on the gallery walls, produced by New York-based artist Chris Ellis, better known by his nickname "Daze".

Also available for public consumption is a short video that shows how graffiti artists work their magic on their home turf.

The exhibition offers a chance for art lovers to explore not only what the art genre contains, but also to observe how it has come about - moving off the street and into private collections and galleries.

To illustrate the creative process of graffiti art, Daze, who said this is his first trip to Beijing, created a piece as part of the opening ceremony of the exhibition. This work of art is on the exterior wall of the gallery's second floor.

Graffiti might have exploded over the last three decades but related forms can be traced back to ancient Roman times and also on Mayan architectures.

Modern graffiti, usually associated with hip-hop culture, boomed in the late 1960s and 1970s when urban youths began experimenting on the sides of subway carriages and buildings.

Born in New York in 1962, Daze said he witnessed the trend first-hand, earning his own reputation by creating murals on the New York subways.

The artist admitted that when he first saw the creations on subway trains, he thought they might be gang-related. Though this was the common consensus at the time, he soon realized the style was far simpler - as a visual language that allowed an individual to express emotion, graffiti was art by definition.

It was no surprise then that over the years, graffiti became a recognized art form - not only in New York but around the world. This global acceptance has brought recognition for the artists involved, which made Daze's trip to Beijing the target of several local fans seeking autographs.

Many of the artist's artworks have already been showcased around the world, as well as being purchased by famous art museums and galleries.

As a result, the inspiration for his creations is not longer tied to New York. This is most evident in his current exhibition, which shows the impressions Daze left on a trip around the world over the past three years.

Although his works have attracted the attention of art dealers and collectors and he now spends more time in his studio than on the streets, Daze is adamant he won't lose his authentic touch. His passion for murals still manages to be reflected on the canvas, though he likes to get back onto a hard surface when possible.

"Painting on walls or painting on canvas; the difference is just the approach," he said. "But it is all just painting."

"I can't stand it when artists use graffiti or street art as their entry into the art world, then immediately stop painting on the street," he added. "It is just ridiculous."

Chris Ellis, known by the nickname "Daze", stands in front of large piece of graffiti art with a tool of the trade, a gas mask.

The art, much of which is mural pieces on canvas rather than spray paint work on hard surfaces, is checked out by a Western woman.