During the late 1970s DONDI was hitting the BMTs with style and color schemes far more sophisticated than his peers. Dondi and fellow graffiti artist Zephyr were good friends and regularly painted trains together. His most famous work was Children of the Grave Parts 1, 2 and 3—three whole cars on the New York City Subway in the years 1978 through 1980. SM General Notes also includes some rather fine architectural drawing by Dondi White himself in the bottom right hand corner and an unusual flying skeletal creature, that goes back to his love of comic style figures that appeared in his train graffiti. Aliases: Asia, Bus129, Naco, Pose 2, Pre 2, White 761, Wirm, 2Hot, 2Many 6 years ago. Created in 1980, this second part of Children of the Grave features his name, but sees the artist evolving his way of incorporating patterns into the letters and with a large hand looming in from the left hand side. Image courtesy of  Museum of the City of New York. DONDI was a well rounded writer, covering all bases; bombing, whole cars and wild style. Modern & Contemporary Art Resource, Street Art Legends: The Best of Basquiat Art. Perhaps these paintings are not considered classic Dondi White creations, sometimes lacking the impact of his early works on the trains and walls of New York, but they do reflect an artist in transition. Catch up with our street art legends series by reading Street Art Legends: The Best of Basquiat Art and Street Art Legends: King Robbo Graffiti, about the work of King Robbo. Dark Site memorial for DONDI In one word. Dondi, from New York, was a master of readable and wildstyle letterforms, whole-car masterpieces, colorful backgrounds and characters. See more images in this Dondi Graffiti video. Six American GIs stationed in Italy befriend an orphaned boy, but the soldiers remain unaware that the lad has stowed away with them when they return to the U.S. The name of the piece was taken from a Black Sabbath song. © 2013-2020 Widewalls | Editions 21, 22 of 300. 1975 Primary affiliations: CIA, TOP, MAFIA Local origin: East New York, Brooklyn. This particular piece combines his classic approach to graffiti writing laid over architectural plans on brown paper, which adds a nice dynamic to the collage. 1980 saw Dondi become involved with the Esses Studio project, aimed at preserving subway art, during which he started to produce artworks on canvas, before becoming associated with the Soul Artists crew, formed by Marc André Edmonds aka ALI. The simple design is produced on a scrap of paper from the Stanpat Supply Company, perhaps capturing Dondi at his best, just working out ideas for future artworks. Apparently Dondi White and Zephyr were quite brazen in their approach to creating this piece of classic graffiti, attacking the train in broad daylight. DONDI made considerable accomplishments on the BMT subway division. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Although Dondi was capable of producing the classic wildstyle form of graffiti writing, he preferred and developed his original large block style, which has remained influential to this day, allowing people to be able to read the text and also enabled Dondi to create patterns within the letters. Though he was a well accomplished whole car master, DONDI's definitive attribute was the mastery of wild style lettering. Dondi Top-to-bottom Whole Car Passing Through South Bronx, 1980. Journalist Martha Cooper filmed the final piece from start to finish. The name of the piece was taken from a Black Sabbath song. The artist painted Children of the Grave part three during 1980 at New Lots Yards, accompanied by Martha Cooper who recorded the creation of the iconic graffiti work. Unfortunately, Dondi White passed away from AIDS in New York, 1998, aged just 37. Dondi developed his unique and bold way of writing in the 1970’s, which saw him using the tags NACO and DONDI. She drove up to 180th Street in the Bronx to go trainspotting and landed upon brand new works be Lee and Blade. The name of the piece was taken from a Black Sabbath song. From subway paintings in New York to museums and galleries worldwide, Dondi was an extraordinary artist and style master who helped establish graffiti as a legitimate, contemporary art form. Archival Digital C print printed from drum scans from original 35mm transparencies. DONDI was a well rounded writer, covering all bases; bombing, whole cars and wild style. I then took Dondi’s iconic subway whole cars … With 20/20 hindsight It becomes clear that the "Graffiti 1980 Studio" catalyzed the graffiti renaissance of the '80s; in part because it functioned as a massive networking convention from which new energies, alliances and focuses sprung forth. The words STYLE MUTANT GOTHIC appear to the left, written on the distinctive brown paper containing more architectural plans, cut into a semi-circle so it looks as if it is a sun rising or setting behind the imagery of Dondi White. Great deals on Vintage Pedal Cars. Despite his death at just 37, Dondi White left a unique legacy of work that will ensure he remains one of the true street art legends and who will continue to inspire future generations. Dondi (1961) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Children of the Grave part two is classic Dondi White graffiti writing, his distinctive bold style covering one complete car of the train. Dondi was another who was active during the 1970s and early 80s, and continued to paint the subway when New York had it’s clamp down with police investigations and added security in the yards. Read more about the development of graffiti in 20th Century & the Rise of Graffiti. To end this run through of images from Street Art Legends: Dondi White, we go back to an untitled sketch from 1983 to demonstrate how the artist loved to create many drawings in preparation for his final works. Copyright © 2012 @149st. He was also a pioneer in taking his art from the subway to art galleries worldwide. His most famous work was Children of the Grave Parts 1, 2 and 3—three whole cars on the New York City Subway in the years 1978 through 1980. Although Dondi White moved away from both graffiti writing and painting, he still produced stunning drawings and graphic based works, leaving behind hundreds of drawings when he died in 1998. 1. Between 1978 and 1980, Dondi White created one of his most iconic pieces, Children of The Grave, painted over three whole cars on the New York City Subway. “A couple of my best pictures came the first few days and that got me going. My apologies. [ citation needed ] … Current Residence: isTanBul City Favourite style of art: Dondi Whole Car Operating System: Xp Favourite cartoon character: , Tsubasa , Personal Quote: BoK However, Dondi White regularly struggled with being an artist and even the process of creating was a heavy burden on him sometimes, which led him away from painting and graffiti. Expand your options of fun home activities with the largest online selection at eBay.com. “Dondi kept talking about these big pieces I had never seen — top to bottom whole cars — and I had no idea what he was talking about,” Cooper says. Directed by Albert Zugsmith. Areas hit: IRTs, INDs, BMTs Main lines: Js, LLs, Ms, 5s,2s, As, CCs. There are many answers to the question, but one major factor is indisputable: Dondi White.Coming of age in hardscrabble East New York in the early 1970s, Dondi White unknowingly began the process of introducing a whole new artistic dialect into the cacophony of the American art scene. Children of the Grave was inspired by a Black Sabbath song, which is quite ironic when you consider that much of the graffiti from that classic era was associated with hip-hop rather than heavy metal, take a look at our Street Art & Music: Who Likes What? As one would expect, it features the classic Dondi letter D amongst some graphic elements and a figure, possible Dondi White himself, lurking on the right hand side. 20 × 30 in. Contact gallery. www.dondiwhitefoundation.org. NEW YORK (AP) _ Changing times have brought an end to ''Dondi,'' the 31-year-old comic- strip chronicle of a kid who escaped war-torn Europe and found happiness and adventure in Midville, USA. Dondi was quite unique in his approach to graffiti writing, often planning in great detail the pieces he was going to go and paint out in the street, practicing several times in sketch books before creating the final piece. Even in his early days of graffiti writing, White had meticulously planned his artworks in sketchbooks, often drawing the pieces several times before committing them to trains and walls. See more classic train graffiti in the Big Subway Archive by Henry Chalfant. : Memorial Wall Art, Hip Hop Files 1980-1984, We B*Girlz, Street Play, New York State of Mind, Tag Town, Going Postal, and Tokyo Tattoo 1970. Irwin Hasen, the New York-based cartoonist who has produced the strip since its start in 1955, said he had made the ''heart-wrenching decision'' to terminate ''Dondi'' as of June 8. These pieces were also done to alert train … The distinctive Children of the Grave part three saw White incorporate cartoon characters by the underground cartoonist and illustrator Vaughn Bodē, who had a big following among graffiti artists. It didn't quite go to plan though, with the train pulling out before they could put on the outlines, luckily they had plenty of paint left, so produced a second finished Heroin Kills train! Journalist Martha Cooper filmed the final piece from start to finish. Easy Javascript Gallery by WOWSlider.com v2.0m. He was also a pioneer in taking his art from the subway to art galleries worldwide. DONDI on the BMT He gained notoriety in the late 70s and early 80s "bombing" whole train cars with his Vaughn Bode inspired characters and wild style lettering. For the most part throw-ups and quick straight letter pieces rendered in a limited color pallet were the rage. Legend has it that DONDI would do these whole car blockbuster car with the left over paint. This image captured by Martha Cooper is perhaps one of the most iconic and recognisable images of not just Dondi White, but also of the history of graffiti. It is a classic piece also featuring a little devil and syringe to get their important message across. He gained respect from his peers by doing major work; tagging prolifically on the insides of all three subway divisions. Dondi believed that an artist must achieve a perfect balance in showing the obvious message and hiding the more provocative reference. He had come into contact with artists such as Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat and seemed set to follow their path with a successful entry into galleries. On this last piece, Dondi adopted the cartoon characters from the late Vaughn Bode. She […] The result was a performance piece with Dondi’s “Children of the Grave” series split up into small rectangles. The exhibition also included works by Blade, Crash, Invader, Kaws and JR to name just a few. Her books include Subway Art, a collaboration with Henry Chalfant, R.I.P. I feel the photo captures the intensity of the activity better than any photo I've taken since. Feb 3, 2016 - DONDI - got a A1 sized poster of his most famous full color whole car. His whole car series “ Children of the Grave” has become part of graffiti history and his name will continue to be remembered for decades to come. Martha Cooper is a documentary photographer who has specialized in shooting graffiti and street art for over thirty-five years. Dondi was an American graffiti artist best known for his dynamic lettering and stick figures.His work, whether painted on canvas or on walls, is characterized by a dynamic energy and explosive use of color. The manner in which the painting was done, once again shows the unique approach of Dondi White, once more using his stick figures, graffiti writing and a simple stencil like face in the middle of the painting. His most famous work was Children of the Grave Parts 1, 2 and 3—three whole cars on the New York City Subway in the years 1978 through 1980. After a hiatus, his two exhibitions are his first in his hometown … His most famous work was Children of the Grave Parts 1, 2 and 3—three whole cars on the New York subway in the years 1978–1980. The post was tagged with Rotterdam, Netherlands, so I just trusted the site that it was correct. With David Janssen, Patti Page, Walter Winchell, Mickey Shaughnessy. Dondi passed on October 2, 1998 from complications from AIDS. If not for DONDI, his crew and a small handful of others benching would have been pretty dismal. Inquire Vivian Maier Self-portrait, ca. He achieved global popularity for his dynamic whole cars via the media, infilms such as Style Wars and books such as Subway Art. Dondi, from New York, was a master of readable and wildstyle letterforms, whole-car masterpieces, colorful backgrounds and characters. Fast & Free shipping on many items! article. 50.8 × 76.2 cm. Interborough alliances were rare as many old rivalries persisted. Started: Approx. Dondi was a Brooklyn writer, king in his East New York neighborhood who became king of the whole city. Inquire Martha Cooper Soup Cans by Fab 5 Freddy, Bronx, NY, 1980 Archival pigment print, printed 2017 20 x 30 in. Later artworks saw Dondi moving away from street graffiti to produce collages and drawings. Used Cars At Don's Wholesale, our customers can count on quality used cars, great prices, and a knowledgeable sales staff. 1955 Vintage gelatin silver print, printed ca. We once again find him merging his unique graffiti writing with wonderful drawings, including a church, small puppet like figure and an animal skull. Each rectangle was built up using individual strands of yarn in a grey color scheme to mimic the color of the subway. He gained respect from his peers by doing major work; tagging prolifically on the insides of all three subway divisions. For the next 20-odd years, Dondi became recognized as the stylistic standard, influencing generation’s of graffiti writers. Martha Cooper, famous for capturing much of the scene in New York with her photographs, later realised that this whole car piece of artwork from Dondi White, was the first whole car graffiti piece that she had photographed. The images of part two and three were famously captured by Martha Cooper, but even she didn't see this photo of part one, taken by Francisco Reyes II, until thirty years later when she came across it in an exhibition. Rain Proof Dance, created by Dondi White in 1992 and which was also produced as a print in 2007, again shows the excellent graphic skills of Dondi. Yet Dondi attained a measure of immortality as a master of ephemeral art. The artist has gone from painting subway cars to the runways of Comme des Garçons. After becoming involved with the Esses Studio project and coming into contact with Soul Artists crew, Dondi White began to explore the idea of working on canvas and taking his graffiti art into galleries, leading to him being one of the first graffiti artists to have solo exhibitions in Holland and Germany. Sold. Art Crimes memorial for DONDI Whole-car advertisements on subway cars are just as common, as the city has sought new ways to generate revenue. One of their unique collaborations was this hard hitting Heroin Kills piece, taking up another whole car on a train. This is part of a limited edition set. Dondi White, born Donald Joseph White in 1961, is one of the true street art legends of the original New York graffiti scene, often considered as one of the most influential graffiti writers in the scene. He achieved global popularity for his dynamic whole cars via the media, infilms such as Style Wars and books such as Subway Art. 1977 saw him join the TOP crew (The Odd Partners) before starting his own crew in 1978, CIA (Crazy Inside Artists), which included names like Doc, Mare139, Kid56, Kel139 and Duro, while their friends Crash and Rasta joined in later as well. SM General Notes is one of a number of fantastic mixed media pieces that Dondi White created around 1989, showcasing his wonderful ability to produce graphic images. We provide art lovers and art collectors with one of the best places on the planet to discover modern and contemporary art. Here we can see the fine draughtsman style that Dondi possessed, often using elements from his graffiti writing days, on top of blueprints, which were sometimes plans of the subways. 1955 The association with Soul Artists saw Dondi rubbing shoulders with graffiti creators such as Futura 2000, Keith Haring, Eric Haze, Lee Quiñones, Zephyr and Jean-Michel Basquiat. All rights reserved. Cooper gained White’s trust, and soon began shooting pictures as he spray-painted his “tag” — DONDI — in enormous, brightly coloured letters across train cars. Image via  art and fashion salon.blogspot.com. At this point in time skilled writers like the Prisoners Of Graffiti crew, DON of MAFIA crew and most members of The Fabulous 5 had stopped painting. When tags evolved to whole cars, whole cars became set pieces, and whole trains became a visual opus that swept into, through, and out of your view in minutes. Dondi made Children of the Grave series inspired by a Black Sabbath song Dondi White - Children of the Grave, Part One, circa 1978 Beginnings and Crews. A note of respect for DONDI from @149st. Another classic example of a painting on canvas by Dondi White, this one making an appearance at the Art in The Streets group exhibition at MOCA in 2011. Dondi White, aka Donald Joseph White, aka The Style Master General, was one of the seminal figures of the early Graffiti scene having fathered the progressive hand styles of the movement. This premeditated outlaw vandalism was also artistry, born with pure adrenaline by teenagers who were eager to make their mark in a rapidly declining US city in the midst of economic crises. Children of the Grave was inspired by a Black Sabbath song, which is quite ironic when you consider that much of the graffiti from that classic era was associated with hip-hop rather than heavy metal, take a look at our Street Art & Music: Who Likes … Between 1978 and 1980, Dondi White created one of his most iconic pieces, Children of The Grave, painted over three whole cars on the New York City Subway. Legend. DONDI was a stickler for not leaving the yard with extra paint. DONDI WHITE Although Dondi had explained how he was able to paint a whole car in a single night, it wasn't until I was able to document it from start to finish that I really understood the process and the meticulous planning involved to carry out the action. We aim at providing better value for money than most. Brooklyn writer, king in his East New York, was a well accomplished whole car blockbuster was produced 1979... 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