Feb. 3 – March 16, 2008
A pioneer in the graffiti art movement, John “Crash” Matos began his career as a teenager, painting New York City subway cars. He was a key figure in the East Village art scene—one of the most creative art movements of the 1980s, and one that represented a breakthrough in the relationship between art and culture. His visually exciting and vibrant works have been described by the Flint Institute of Art as a “visual link between street life and established society.” Matos designed a limited edition of 50 painted guitar bodies from the Fender Custom Shop. The project, started in 2004, was inspired by the graffiti-style Stratocaster bodies he had painted for Eric Clapton.
Matos designed a T-Shirt worn by the student receptionists.
Artist’s talk, Friday, Feb. 8, 2008 noon, gallery
Opening party Saturday, Feb. 9, 7:30-9 p.m.
Music by D.J. ACE.
Brown bag lecture, Thursday, Feb. 21, 12:15 p.m.
Robert S. Mattison will talk about the East Village Art movement.
Felix Forster ’09: “Graffiti: An Introduction to Style,” Thursday, Feb. 27, 7 p.m., Williams Center 108
