About the artwork
Blue marker drawing on paper, dated 1986. The sheet shows two graffiti sketches over a faint pencil underdrawing, typical of a sketchbook page rather than a finished piece.
The upper sketch is a bubble letter tag in a rounded style, topped by a small character face with a crown motif. A speech bubble reading "RTW!" refers to the Rolling Thunder Writers crew, historically linked to REVOLT. Drips at the base of the letters evoke the wet spray paint technique common in subway-era graffiti.
The lower sketch is an angular wildstyle piece with sharp, interlocking extensions and dimensional shading, consistent with the style associated with QUIK, another key figure in the mid-1980s New York scene.
Expert opinion
The date of 1986 is noteworthy. It places the sheet at the height of the golden age of subway graffiti, just before the MTA’s Clean Train Movement put an end to subway painting in 1989. Black books were the primary medium writers used at the time to plan and preserve their work off the trains. If the date can be shown to be contemporary with the drawings—in the same ink and hand—this supports the sheet as an authentic period document rather than a later addition.
About the artist
Born in New York in 1958, Quik (Lin Felton) is considered one of the pioneers of the "writing" style. Active since the mid-1970s, he stands out for the complexity of his lettering, the fluidity of his compositions, and his particularly innovative approach to color and movement. As a member of the famous collective The Fabulous 5, he helped transform graffiti from subway cars into an internationally recognized art form. His work played a key role in graffiti’s transition into galleries and art institutions.
Dr. Revolt (Charles Hargrove) is one of the iconic figures of the New York underground scene of the 1970s and 1980s. As a member of the Rolling Thunder Writers collective, he developed a particularly expressive style characterized by organic forms, figures, and great graphic freedom. His influence extends beyond graffiti, as he also contributed to the development of the East Village’s punk and art scenes, collaborating notably with numerous artists from the New York avant-garde.
Additional info
Signed
Dated
OTHER ARTWORKS YOU MAY LIKE
Your Dynamic Snippet will be displayed here...
This message is displayed because you did not provide both a filter and a template to use.