About the artwork
Music is a 2018 work by American artist Calvin Gonzales, known as Delta 2, an important figure in the first generation of New York graffiti. Produced in acrylic, paint and spray on canvas and measuring 80 × 120 cm, the composition is organized around a monumental central lettering that occupies the entire width of the canvas. The letters, in shades of violet, blue and red, unfold in fluid, curving forms reminiscent of the tradition of classical writing. They are surrounded by bluish decorative motifs and sinuous lines that give the composition an almost musical rhythm, echoing the title of the work. The light background is animated by numerous splashes of paint, colored splashes and spontaneous gestures, creating a dynamic contrast with the precise structure of the lettering. This combination of urban calligraphy, vivid colors and gestural interventions lends the work a strong visual energy and reflects Delta 2's transposition of graffiti aesthetics to painting on canvas.
Expert opinion
This work perfectly illustrates the evolution of historical graffiti towards a pictorial practice destined for galleries and private collections. Delta 2, a pioneer of the graffiti movement in New York in the 1970s, preserves in this canvas the fundamental codes of writing while developing a more pictorial and expressive approach. The mastery of lettering, the richness of chromatic gradations and the use of paint sprays testify to a great freedom of gesture, while maintaining a solid graphic structure. The panoramic format reinforces the reading of the word and accentuates the sense of movement that runs through the composition. In the context of the urban art market, works on canvas by the founding artists of graffiti have an important historical dimension, arousing the interest of collectors sensitive to the history and evolution of street art. This piece is representative of Delta 2's work, combining the heritage of New York graffiti with contemporary pictorial expression.
About the artist
Delta 2 is an American artist from the first generation of New York graffiti. Active since the early 1970s, he was one of the pioneers who transformed writing on New York walls and subways into a veritable urban art movement.
Originally from New York, Delta 2 began painting at a very young age, in the context of the emergence of graffiti writing in the Brooklyn and Bronx neighborhoods. At the time, subway trains became the main medium of expression for young artists seeking to assert their identity in public space. Delta 2 quickly distinguished itself by the precision of its lettering and the graphic construction of its compositions. His work belongs to the so-called "old school" generation of graffiti, alongside major figures such as Lee Quiñones, Dondi White and Futura 2000. Like these artists, he has participated in the evolution of graffiti from a clandestine practice in tunnels and on trains to gradual recognition in galleries and institutions. In his works on canvas, Delta 2 retains the energy of original graffiti while developing a more painterly approach. Letters remain at the heart of the composition, but are often accompanied by figurative elements, references to music, urban culture or the New York imagination. The dynamics of movement and the rhythmic construction of the image recall the influence of hip-hop and jazz, two cultural universes closely linked to the emergence of graffiti. Over the decades, the artist has pursued a practice faithful to the spirit of the movement's beginnings, while adapting his work to contemporary media. His works bear witness to the history of graffiti and its gradual transformation into an internationally recognized art form. Today, Delta 2 is considered one of the representatives of the founding generation that laid the foundations of modern graffiti. His work is of particular interest to collectors who are sensitive to the history of street art and the memory of New York's first writers.
Additional info
Framed
Proof of authenticity
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