Graffiti show brings street art indoors at East Hampton gallery

For fans of street art and anyone feeling nostalgic for the raw creative punch of graffiti, there’s no need to hit the streets of New York. Eric Firestone has brought art made with spray cans inside his eponymous Newtown Lane gallery in East Hampton. The group show, “Down By Law,” features works from old-school taggers and graffiti pioneers from New York City.

Also on view are historic photographs of the underground art scene, color photos of tagged trains and animation images for the documentary film, “Wild Style.” Moving into more recent times, there are also drawings from “Yo! MTV” Raps and logo designs for the Beastie Boys, Run-DMC and the Cold Chillin’ record label.

Exhibiting graffiti artists from the 1970s and ’80s include Blade, Coco 144, Dondi White, Zephyr, DAZE, Keo, Lady Pink, Mare 139 and others. Works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring and hip-hop graphic designer and artist Eric Haze are also on view.

Most of the art is recent and was made on canvas, board and paper. Graffiti art applied on subway signs has recently been added to the show. Graffiti artist Sharp also tagged a telephone booth inside the gallery as an addition to the show.

To get East Hampton passersby prepared for the exhibition, Mr. Firestone arranged for graffiti artist Blade to paint the sides of a box truck parked at the gallery owner’s East Hampton digs. On one side, the artist duplicated the lettering for the “Down By Law” exhibition announcement. The other side boasted “Blade” set in a field of expressive color.

Graffiti accents were originally added in other spots on the truck by Scott Bluedorn, an East Hampton artist and gallery assistant at Eric Firestone Gallery. Blade made a name for himself as the “King of Trains,” painting some 5,000 of them by his count, without ever being caught, he said. He allowed that painting a truck was a first for him and required some minor adjustments. These days, Blade works on canvas and exhibits his work internationally. The Dutch are especially fond of his art, he said.

When “Down by Law” opened on August 14, the painted truck was parked in front of the gallery to drum up interest. Inside, sparkling wine and water were served in fluted glasses to visitors gazing at art that originated on subway cars, brick walls, billboards, street signs and other public locations. A deejay spun records on dueling turntables.

Mr. Firestone became interested in graffiti while growing up in Miami and witnessing its rise in popular culture through music videos made by Blondie, Grand Master Flash and other rappers on MTV. After opening an East Hampton gallery this season, he wanted to mount a show to stir things up.

Graffiti art seemed the perfect ticket. He reached out to Sara Rosen, formerly of powerHouse Books and powerHouse Magazine, to help him locate street artists who were part of the original graffiti movement. Mr. Firestone then branched out on his own to round out the show, he said. “Down By Law” was co-curated by Ms. Rosen and Mr. Firestone.

What might have prompted Mr. Firestone’s quest to find original artists from graffiti’s early years is the fact that graffiti is now a sought-after art form. Many of the pioneers who started tagging illegally in public spaces and on private property have made the jump to exhibiting internationally. Graffiti art has captivated those in Europe (especially in The Netherlands, Blade reiterated) and is slowly gaining more attention in the United States. “Down By Law” strives to give street art’s beginnings more legitimacy, Mr. Firestone said, while also demonstrating that some of the form’s pioneers are now making fine art.

Most of the art in the show is new. Some pieces were selected to show how graffiti has morphed into the mainstream. Hip-hop culture has embraced graffiti as its visual voice, and graffiti artists now apply their visions to clothing designs, advertising and graphic design. Mr. Firestone hopes the exhibition will help place graffiti on a par with fine art, provide an opportunity for a broader audience to see the work, and allow fans to find it in the Hamptons.

“Down By Law” is on view through September 26 at Eric Firestone Gallery, 4 Newtown Lane, East Hampton. Art can be viewed and information found at ericfirestonegallery.com. The gallery opened in June with the photography exhibition, “Warhol: From Dylan to Duchamp.” A second gallery is located in Tucson, Arizona.