One of my favorite artists of the 80s street art scene in NYC, is the legendary Richard Hambleton. I love that he was both a street and gallery artist, and how his unique style really stands out from most aesthetics associated with graffiti. His Shadowman series had a really big impact on my appreciation of dark art at a young age, mostly because it was so urban and yet atypical of what is generally associated with public mural art.
Hambleton’s life was punk as fuck. I’m not glorifying his life in anyway, but I am respecting what a unique creature he is in the history of NYC, and how much of a cultural statement the way he lived his life was. Homeless in 2013, the guy would still celebrate his art sales with his signature caviar and heroine. When he eventually got diagnosed with skin cancer, he refused to get it treated. Back in 2017, a documentary came out about his life that is worth a watch, titled “Shadowman” (available on Amazon). Definitely worth the watch if you want to learn more about this madman. Don’t hit play expecting a romantic comedy.
I think what I find so deeply valuable about Hambleton as an artist is his pure need to make art. A Canadian, he went to art school early on, and came to NYC to carve out a chunk of history for himself. I don’t think this was his intention; I think he was just obsessed with sharing his view of the world. From his early Mass Murder Art series (look it up, it’s bananas), to his fashion collaborations (he even worked with Vivienne Westwood FFS), nothing was off limits to him. A true artist with an unsurmountable urge to create to the very end.
Do you have any street artists you love?
Reminder that my very first Transmissions from the Void podcast episode drops in 2 days. Stay tuned, and don’t forget to share this on social media!
LOVE those pieces