Urban Art: The Painted Voice
This collection of works is a window onto a reality, a celebration of incredible artists that gave voice to a generation and their community, by creating great art to make their world a better place, while being treated as outlaws. They have dedicated their lives to make sure that we all know whats what, let’s continue to hear them.
They are the voices that speak in paint.
They are the voices of freedom, and the creators of beauty in and on the face of a gray world, where the idea of risking real danger to make art, to become the king of Tag Art is exciting.
Why not have a window acid etched and spray painted when all you see outside is abandoned buildings anyway?
Art that is born of strife, social inequality, poverty and desperation is historically important, and ever relevant, as it lets us see those who wake up everyday to a bleak world and life feels like a war.
The intention is no different than Picasso's Guernica, or Goya's depictions of war, or even French caricatures of the bourgeoisie.
The artists that found spiritual freedom by graffitiing the side of a drab, bleak train to hell were heroes who valiantly tried to save our souls with a temporary acknowledgement of their existence. What better way to know you’re alive than to see your "Tag" go whipping past you on a “redbird”.

John Ahearn, Hazel (Bronx girls are the best),
28" x 24", 1989

Daze, Biography of a Jazz Man, aerosol on canvas, 1989, 72" x 60"

John Ahearn, Dalisha,
24" x 20", 1989

STIK , "Liberty",
acrylic on canvas 2.5” x 7”
2013

Crash, "Untitled"
Aerosol on canvas, 50" x 40"
1989

STIK , "Liberty",
acrylic on canvas 2.5” x 7”
2013

LA Big Kat, 2013, 55" x 65"

Martha Cooper, “Leap of Faith”,
Edition 3 of 15
20" x 16", 1989

Rick Prol, Self Portrait,
Acrylic on canvas,
24" x 20",
1984

Shepard Fairey, “Leap of Faith”,
(Martha Cooper Obey Print),
edition 185 of 450, 18” x 24”,
2009

LP Soundtrack from the film "Wild Style" (front),
by Charlie Ahearn, signed by Tracy 168
Cover art by Zephyr
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Style

LP Soundtrack from the film "Wild Style" (back),
by Charlie Ahearn, signed by Tracy 168
Cover art by Zephyr
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Style

Michael Roman, Calaveras Memories,
Edition 2 of 6, 1984

Seher One,
India Ink, 39” x 28”, 2014