FUTURA (US)
Futura is an American artist synonymous with the New York graffiti scene of the 70’s and 80’s. He is a pioneer of the abstract graffiti form, a style he developed in the early 80’s at a time when the primary focus of the majority of graffiti artists was lettering. In particular, Futura was able to execute aerosol strokes as thin as the fine lines achieved only through the use of an airbrush.
Futura painted backdrops live on-stage for British punk rock band The Clash throughout their 1981 European tour and during this period also traversed the divide between the graffiti and fine art worlds to exhibit alongside the likes of Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Richard Hambleton and Kenny Scharf in New York.
Futura has featured in museum exhibitions the world over including New York / New Wave, PS1 (1981), Coming from the Subway, Groninger Museum (1992), Beautiful Losers, CAC (2004) and Art in the Streets, MOCA (2011). In 2015, he participated in the exhibition Bridges of Graffiti at the 56th Venice Biennale. He also designs his own clothing under the label Futura Laboratories with a store located in Fukuoka, Japan.
