Artists
Ron English is an internationally recognized contemporary artist whose work has helped shape the visual language of street art and popular culture for more than four decades. Blending advertising, pop culture, surrealism, and social commentary, he is known for transforming familiar imagery into thought-provoking works that challenge audiences to reconsider the world around them.
Working across painting, sculpture, public art, and large-scale installations, English has exhibited in galleries, museums, and public spaces throughout the world. His work has influenced generations of artists and continues to occupy a unique space between fine art, street culture, and mass media.
Through a career defined by creativity, satire, and cultural observation, English has established himself as one of the most recognizable figures working at the intersection of contemporary art and public art today.
Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, CRASH (John Matos) began writing graffiti in the 1970s and quickly became part of the generation that transformed New York City's subway system into a moving canvas. By the early 1980s, he had made the transition from train yards to galleries, participating in landmark exhibitions that helped introduce graffiti to broader art audiences.
Over the course of a career spanning more than four decades, CRASH has exhibited internationally and collaborated with brands including Absolut Vodka, Fender, Levi's, and Tumi. His work can be found in museum and private collections around the world. Today, he continues to paint, exhibit, and support the arts through WALLWORKS NY, a contemporary art gallery and cultural space in the Bronx.
Born in London and raised in New York City, Wane One became immersed in graffiti culture during the early 1980s, inspired by the artists painting the city's subway system. By 1983, he was painting trains throughout New York and developing the distinctive lettering style that would become a defining part of his work.
Over the years, Wane expanded his practice beyond graffiti into graphic design, branding, apparel, and public art. His work has included collaborations with brands such as Nike, Reebok, New Balance, Sean John, and others. In addition to painting and design, he has served as a curator, organizer, and advocate for graffiti culture through mural festivals and community art initiatives. Today, he continues to create, exhibit, and collaborate on projects throughout the United States and internationally.
Andrea von Bujdoss, known professionally as Queen Andrea, is a New York City-based artist, muralist, graffiti artist, typographer, and graphic designer. Beginning as a graffiti writer in the early 1990s, she developed a distinctive style that combines graffiti, typography, design, and fine art.
A graduate of Parsons School of Design, Queen Andrea is known for her bold use of color, dynamic compositions, and highly recognizable lettering. Her work can be found on walls and public spaces throughout North America, Europe, Asia, South America, and the Middle East. In addition to independent projects, she has completed commissions for municipalities, museums, cultural institutions, and major brands, while continuing to explore the relationship between lettering, public art, and contemporary visual culture.
Leon Rainbow is a Trenton-based graffiti artist and muralist whose work is rooted in community, collaboration, and public art. Emerging from New Jersey's graffiti scene in the late 1990s, he developed a distinctive visual style that combines bold lettering, vibrant color palettes, and large-scale compositions.
His murals often draw inspiration from local history, culture, and shared experiences, transforming public spaces into works that reflect the communities around them. In addition to creating murals throughout the region, Leon is the founder of Jersey Fresh Jam, a long-running hip hop and graffiti festival that brings together artists, performers, and creatives from across the Northeast. Through murals, workshops, and community programming, he continues to advocate for art as a tool for connection, education, and creative expression.
Tastemakers
Henry Chalfant is a photographer, filmmaker, and author whose work has played a significant role in documenting the history of New York City's graffiti movement and early hip hop culture. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, he photographed artists painting subway trains throughout New York, creating an unparalleled visual archive of a movement that would later influence art and culture around the world.
Chalfant is the co-creator of the landmark documentary Style Wars and co-author of Subway Art, the influential book widely regarded as one of the most important visual records of graffiti culture. His photography, films, books, and exhibitions have helped preserve the stories of the artists who transformed New York City's trains into moving works of art and introduced graffiti culture to generations of audiences worldwide.
Charlie Ahearn is a filmmaker, photographer, artist, and educator best known as the director and producer of Wild Style, the groundbreaking independent film that captured New York City's emerging graffiti and hip hop culture in the early 1980s. Released in 1982, the film introduced audiences to the artists, writers, DJs, MCs, and breakers who helped shape a cultural movement that continues to influence the world today.
Beyond filmmaking, Ahearn's work spans photography, painting, printmaking, and multimedia projects. His artwork has been exhibited internationally and reflects decades of documenting the people, neighborhoods, and creative communities that define New York City's cultural landscape.
Jonathan LeVine is a curator, publisher, and gallerist whose career has spanned more than three decades. Growing up in Trenton, New Jersey, he was drawn to graffiti, punk, comics, and other forms of visual culture that existed outside traditional art institutions. Since the 1990s, he has organized hundreds of exhibitions and cultural events while working with artists across contemporary art, street art, and public art.
His projects have included helping establish Berlin's Urban Nation Museum, supporting the development of Wynwood Walls in Miami, collaborating with Mana Contemporary, and producing public art initiatives throughout the United States and abroad. Through galleries, exhibitions, publications, and independent projects, LeVine has created platforms for artists while helping expand the conversation around contemporary visual culture.
Carlo McCormick is a writer, curator, and cultural critic whose work has explored graffiti, street art, punk, hip hop, and contemporary visual culture for decades. Through books, essays, exhibitions, and public programs, he has documented artists and creative movements that emerged outside traditional institutions and helped shape contemporary culture.
Known for his thoughtful commentary and deep knowledge of underground art movements, McCormick has contributed to numerous publications, exhibition catalogs, and cultural projects examining the relationship between art, public space, and society.
Eric "DEAL" Felisbret is an author, curator, photographer, and cultural documentarian who has spent more than four decades researching and documenting the history of New York City graffiti. Beginning as a graffiti writer in the mid-1970s, he witnessed the movement firsthand and has dedicated much of his career to preserving its stories, artists, and cultural significance.
Felisbret is the author of Graffiti New York (Abrams, 2009), a comprehensive examination of four decades of graffiti culture. His work has been featured in books, exhibitions, lectures, documentaries, and publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and VICE. He continues to document graffiti culture through photography, research, public presentations, and his documentary project, Mecca: The New York City Graffiti Chronicle.