GRAFFITI ARTIST SEEN - "SEEN" Painting on Canvas

SEEN - Spray Paint on Canvas . Canvas Size measures 30"×84” Inches (un stretched). Signed verso in marker .

Canvas is un stretched and will be shipped rolled.

Gordon Wayne Roberts created the tag Stay High 149, combined it with a smoking, halo-adorned stick man he borrowed from The Saint television show and changed the face of graffiti. It's hard to imagine a trip through the subway system in early 70's without seeing his name a dozen times. Changing to his secondary alias, voice of the ghetto, around 1974 , ,he introduced the world to two and three toned markers that spewed rainbows of psychedelic cool. After a 25 year disappearance , a time during which many assumed him dead, he reappeared at a graff show in 2000 and soon launched a comeback that gave a new generation a chance to know and love his work. His tags had the rarest combination of style and meaning I've ever witnessed . High Maintenance is about paying back one of the most inspirational , yet humble cats to ever wield a marker. His spirit and legacy has touched every era of a culture that's blown up world wide. The artists who so generously donated their work for this benefit are giving their collective thanks to a man who transcended graffiti culture and in time be remembered as an American Folk Hero. All net proceeds from this sale will go to Stayhigh's Family.

Back in the 1970’s SEEN created a writing crew solely for the purpose of getting your name up on N.Y.City’s Subway Train System. The crew was titled U.A.(UNITED ARTISTS) also known as UA boys. While other crews at the time felt it was nessasary to recruit large numbers, the UNITED ARTISTS kept their number of members small. There were a total of 5 members.

About the Artist

SEEN

Richard "Richie" Mirando, known as Seen UA, born 1961 in The Bronx, New York, is one of the most well known Graffiti artists in the world, often referred to as the Godfather of Graffiti, although he did not pioneer the movement.

Seen first started to paint on New York's Subway in 1973. His crew United Artists (or simply UA) quickly gained the reputation for producing full-color throw-ups on whole cars.

For the next 16 years his pieces were running across the city and on all lines, but they were especially prominent on the 2,5 and 6 lines. He was responsible for dozens of whole-car top-to-bottoms, many of which have become iconic images of the time.

It was during the very early 1980s that Seen started producing work on canvas, shown by galleries and bought by museums and private collectors across the globe. These included not only solo exhibitions but also group shows with artists such as Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Jean Michel Basquiat , Dondi, Quik, Blade, and Lee Quinones. Despite the high demand for his work in Europe and constant world travel, Seen continued to hit the New York subway trains until 1989, long after increased pressure from the MTA had stopped many from doing so. He was also featured prominently in the 1983 PBS documentary Style Wars

In the late 1980s Seen also turned his talent to Tattoo art, opening Tattoo SEEN, which quickly became one of the most successful studios in New York. Seen's recent work includes three-dimensional sculpture, mixed media work with reclaimed or discarded materials (often found in the street), and a series of hand-painted, limited-edition MTA New York subway maps. He continues to exhibit worldwide and produce work with and alongside artists such as Banksy.

In 2009, the SEEN Gallery opens in Paris before becoming the SEEN Studio's, France. He also has been exhibited at the Fondation Cartier.

In 2010, he has shown at the Magda Danysz Gallery with a solo show on the three floors of the gallery.

In 2011, he signed on with Opera Gallery (12 locations worldwide), and the Paris location featured his work. Dirtypilot worked with SEEN from Jan 2011 - summer of 2017.