In addition to the other talented artists that will be displaying their work during Las Vegas BikeFest this weekend, it has just been confirmed that SEEN, will be showing a limited number of original artwork. Although the artist himself will be unable to attend the gallery opening this year as his European commitments will keep him out of the country until the last day of the show. None the less, it is a rare treat to see the work of the man who put Graffiti on the map. For those not familiar, below is a short bio to introduce him to you.
SEEN
Richard Mirando
Born : 1961, New York
Richard Mirando, known as SEEN, born 1961 in The Bronx, New York, is one of the most famous American graffiti artists. SEEN first started to paint on New Yorks subway in 1973. Many of the great subway painters from the late 70’s and early 80’s have fallen into oblivion, nevertheless several have been quite successful with their creativity since that period and SEEN may have been the greatest and most versatile artist from this generation of subway painters.
For the next 16 years his pieces were running across the city and on all lines but especially prominent on the 2, 5 and 6 lines. SEEN quickly gained the reputation for producing full colour wholecars, he was responsible for hundreds of whole car top to bottoms many of which have become iconic images of the time.
Referred to as the « Godfather of Graffiti », SEEN carries the title of being the world’s most famous graffiti artist. He is recognized as a leader of the school of Graffiti Art and has become an icon of what was once considered an underground trend but now has become an international art movement in which he is one of the most emuated artist.
But SEEN’s impact goes beyond what he has done on trains. He was among the early artists who took their art on to canvases. He was part of the landmark art show P.S.1 « New York, New Wave – 1981 », which also featured Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Basquiat among others. Today, his work can be found in private collections and museums around the world.
SEEN was also a pioneer in the application of Graffiti in fashion. He began by painting graffiti inspired designs on clothing. His success inspired a number of followers and soon a trend had emerged in NYC. After exploring the graphic possibilities on clothing, SEEN was drawn to the art of tattooing and incorporated his style in creating body art. He quickly began to master the art of tattooing and his tattoo parlors became one of the largest and most popular in NewYork. SEEN once again showed the graffiti world another avenue in which the art form could be explored.
SEEN’s recent work includes three dimensional sculptures, mixed media work with reclaimed or discarded materials (often found in the street). He recently moved to Spain where he can enjoy bigger work spaces to create without any limits. He’s working everyday in his studio and continues to show his work in the whole world, galleries or museums.
