The Hunter Museum is pleased to announce its upcoming special exhibition City as Canvas: Graffiti Art from the Martin Wong Collection.
Opening Thursday, September 19th at 6pm, this electrifying exhibition will showcase the dynamic world of graffiti through the eyes of artist and collector Martin Wong.
In recognition of the early legends who transformed the New York cityscape into art, City as Canvas offers an unprecedented glimpse into the often-misunderstood art form of graffiti. Featuring over 100 works, the exhibition includes works on canvas, sketchbooks, and photographs of graffiti writing that have been long since erased from subway walls and buildings.
The graffiti writers in this collection include Lee Quiñones, LADY PINK, and FUTURA 2000 – influential figures in an artistic movement that redefined music, fashion, and visual pop culture for decades to come.
The collection, brought to life by the late Martin Wong, captures the creativity and energy that came from the streets of New York City in the 1970s and 1980s. As an artist trying to make ends meet in New York City in the 1980s, Wong began buying underpriced pieces from Christie’s and then selling them to Sotheby’s for a better price. Over time, his collection grew and, with his friend Peter Broda, he opened the Museum of American Graffiti on Bond Street in the East Village in 1989.
At the time, graffiti was a highly contested art form and city officials removed most of the work that had been in the New York City Subway system. Wong set out to preserve what he called “the last great art movement of the twentieth century.” Befriending many of the artists in the exhibition, Wong often provided them with art supplies to support their work. In 1994, following complications with his health, he donated the entire collection to the Museum of the City of New York.
Join us at the Hunter for an unforgettable journey through the art that painted the town and left a lasting mark on the streets! City As Canvas: Graffiti Art from the Martin Wong Collection, organized by the Museum of the City of New York, will be on view through January 13, 2025.
The Hunter will be hosting several exhibition-related events throughout the duration of the exhibition, so stay up to date by following @HunterMuseum on Facebook and Instagram.
Visit www.huntermuseum.org to learn more and plan your visit today!