HOW & NOSM - "Untitled" Trains of Thought
HOW & NOSM – “Untitled” Trains of Thought. 2010. Acrylic and Ink over Giclee train on art paper. Size approx 36″ × 9″.
“HOW AND NOSM” (RAOUL AND DAVIDE PERRE)
The twin brothers HOW and NOSM are graffiti artists and professional muralists residing in New York. Born in the Basque country of San Sebastian, Spain, the Perre brothers grew up in Düsseldorf, Germany practicing the Bronx-born art form of graffiti. Their late teenage years were spent spray painting the world, visiting many of the more than 50 countries in which they both left their remarkable artwork on any kind of surface including subway trains. During a visit to New York in ’97 HOW and NOSM were asked to become members of the legendary TATS CRU, and permanently relocated to New York shortly thereafter in ’99 – a move that marked their transition from painting on trains, and even the Berlin Wall – to creating elaborate murals for a number of known commercial clients such as SONY.
As members of TATS CRU, the Perre twins have lectured at universities including M.I.T. and their work has appeared in numerous films, music videos, documentaries, and most recently, the windows of the historic department store, Lord and Taylor.
HOW and NOSM have been featured within the pages of numerous publications, including the New York Times and the New Yorker, and even stirred the likes of the Rev. Al Sharpton with the controversial undertones of subjects manifested within their art. As adept with a spray can as only few artists could ever hope to be with a brush, and best known for their medium, Perre’s body of work includes everything from skateboards and collectable toys to large scale multimedia sculpture – and for that matter, anything they can get their hands on.
Graffiti on trains has always been a controversial medium, and this has certainly been one of the reasons that has made the form controversial and has brought such popularity to the movement.Although there have been many arguments about graffiti on trains,
the train has been the medium of choice for the ‘Graffiti Writer’. It is something that has been a vital part of the New York transit history,
that often is spoke about by many of those who have had the experience to witness the works displayed on the subway system of New York.
"Trains of Thought" has re- captured the true attitude of graffiti once again, by placing original art form on trains!
An archival pigment print of a railcar placed on acid free museum quality paper was distributed out to numerous artists. Each artist then creates an original artistic rendition of whatever it is their ‘thoughts’ would take them.
These ‘train cars’ are beautifully adorned with mixed mediums and have been creatively hand embellished by the most talented New York Graffiti masters of yesterday and today.