Provenance

Samuel A. and Sandra Esses

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This is a photograph of a subway train car covered in graffiti. The train car exhibits vibrant and colorful graffiti artwork across its surface. The graffiti includes a large stylized word 'Zoo York' with bold colors like red, orange, and purple, alongside several smaller tags and phrases scattered throughout. The artwork also features a recognizable face with exaggerated features. The train car shows signs of wear, typical of the New York City street art scene during a time when graffiti culture was prominent.
Henry Chalfant, I Love Zoo York by Ali, 1981, 4 chromogenic prints, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Samuel A. and Sandra Esses), 2015.19.4907

I Love Zoo York by Ali

Henry Chalfant · 1981 · 4 chromogenic prints ·  Accession ID  2015.19.4907

This is a photograph of a train car covered in graffiti. The graffiti art on the train car is vibrant and colorful, consisting of various letters, abstract shapes, symbols, and a character with exaggerated features. The graffiti spans the length of the train car, painted in blues, greens, reds, and yellows. The metal train car's rivets and structure are visible, and a sign displaying route information is seen towards the right.
Henry Chalfant, Dealt Kel Henry, 1980, 5 chromogenic prints, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Samuel A. and Sandra Esses), 2015.19.4897

Dealt Kel Henry

Henry Chalfant · 1980 · 5 chromogenic prints ·  Accession ID  2015.19.4897

This is an image of graffiti art on a subway train. The side of the train is covered in vibrant graffiti featuring large, circular, abstract shapes in pink, yellow, blue, and black. A cartoon-like hand in brown and black is prominently displayed on the left side. Various shapes, patterns, and text elements, including "DONDI CIA" and "Children of the Grave Return," fill the train car. The graffiti style is bold and expressive, typical of street art culture.
Henry Chalfant, Dondi, 1980, 5 chromogenic prints, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Samuel A. and Sandra Esses), 2015.19.4917

Dondi

Henry Chalfant · 1980 · 5 chromogenic prints ·  Accession ID  2015.19.4917

This is a photograph of a subway train covered in graffiti art. The train's exterior is adorned with vibrant and colorful graffiti, which includes cartoon-like characters, bold text, and abstract shapes. The left side shows an illustration of a person with large eyes and a surprised or excited expression, wearing a green jacket and standing in front of a purple background. Beside this character is the word "LOVE" in large bubble letters filled with purple stars set against a red and orange background. To the right is the text "HURST" in colorful letters that are blue with yellow accents. The right side of the train features another cartoon character, this time holding a paint roller or a large brush, dressed in a green and white outfit and wearing a green hat. Smaller tags and phrases like "Fabulous Five" and "The Odd Partners" are scattered across the scene.
Henry Chalfant, Slave Hurst, 1978, 5 chromogenic prints, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Samuel A. and Sandra Esses), 2015.19.4920

Slave Hurst

Henry Chalfant · 1978 · 5 chromogenic prints ·  Accession ID  2015.19.4920

This is a photograph of a subway train car covered in graffiti. The train car is painted with vibrant graffiti art that stretches across its entire side. The central part of the artwork features the word "MAD SEEN" painted in large, bold letters with a three-dimensional effect, predominantly in shades of orange and pink with black outlines. Above the letters, there is a thick, wavy outline painted in white, which transitions into a bright yellow color that creates a flame-like pattern. To the right of the text, there is a cartoon character painted in a playful pose with outstretched arms, wearing a pink outfit with a yellow border accent. Various tags and smaller pieces of writing are visible throughout the graffiti, including messages such as "Happy Birthday" written in black against the yellow background. The graffiti is vibrant and expressive, showcasing an urban art style characteristic of subway graffiti culture.
Henry Chalfant, Mad Seen, 1980, 4 chromogenic prints, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Samuel A. and Sandra Esses), 2015.19.4901

Mad Seen

Henry Chalfant · 1980 · 4 chromogenic prints ·  Accession ID  2015.19.4901

This photograph shows a subway car covered in graffiti art. Two sections of the subway car are heavily decorated with vibrant graffiti. The top part features an animated, cartoon-like depiction of an orange airplane or vehicle with exaggerated shapes and facial features, accompanied by the text "I love my mommy" and "The spirit still lives." There are also stylized letters and abstract forms in various colors like teal, red, and orange. The bottom part showcases large, bold letters in yellow and blue spanning the length of the car, with similar cartoon and abstract artwork. To the left, there's a depiction of a character in a blue outfit holding an oval shape, and on the right, another character in orange attire with a paint roller. The graffiti includes details like tags, doodles, and thoughtful messages.
Henry Chalfant, Lee / Open the Pig by Lee, 1979, 5 chromogenic prints, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Samuel A. and Sandra Esses), 2015.19.4905

Lee / Open the Pig by Lee

Henry Chalfant · 1979 · 5 chromogenic prints ·  Accession ID  2015.19.4905

This is a photograph of a subway train covered in graffiti art. The subway car features a street art style with a vibrant sky-blue background, simple mountain and cloud shapes, intricate red lines resembling tree roots or veins, and bold text about graffiti art and a group called "The Fabulous 5." A number "8848" is visible on the top corners of the subway car. The windows show traces of previous graffiti or decals. A sign indicates the train is on the route for "7th Av-Exp" and "White Plains Rd." The image depicts public urban art associated with graffiti culture.
Henry Chalfant, Lee, 1980, 3 chromogenic prints, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Samuel A. and Sandra Esses), 2015.19.4914

Lee

Henry Chalfant · 1980 · 3 chromogenic prints ·  Accession ID  2015.19.4914

This image shows a subway train covered in vibrant graffiti. The train, numbered 7790, displays colorful street art featuring bold letters, cartoon characters, and abstract shapes in shades of purple, pink, and blue. The background is white with pink star-like elements. The windows and doors show signs of wear and additional graffiti tags. Characters on the train include one wearing a military-style helmet and holding a flower, and another with exaggerated features wearing a pointy hat. The scene conveys urban graffiti's raw artistic expression.
Henry Chalfant, KT-3 Krome, 1977, 5 chromogenic prints, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Samuel A. and Sandra Esses), 2015.19.4922

KT-3 Krome

Henry Chalfant · 1977 · 5 chromogenic prints ·  Accession ID  2015.19.4922

This is a photograph of two subway train cars covered in graffiti. The upper image shows a blue subway train with graffiti art depicting the word "SPURN" and an arrow pointing to the letters "UP," surrounded by vibrant colors like red, yellow, and blue with stylized shapes resembling comic book art. In the lower part of the photograph, another section of the train is shown, featuring the word "MANRCE" in large blue letters with a yellow and orange background. Additional smaller graffiti tags are visible in various colors around the larger pieces, along with a dedication saying, "THIS PIECE FOR ANDREA," and the phrase "STATION TO STATION." Both images highlight the bold, colorful expressions of street art on the subway cars.
Henry Chalfant, Seven-Up / Maurice, 1977, 4 chromogenic prints, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Samuel A. and Sandra Esses), 2015.19.4903

Seven-Up / Maurice

Henry Chalfant · 1977 · 4 chromogenic prints ·  Accession ID  2015.19.4903

This is a photograph of a train car covered in vibrant graffiti. The train car features colorful graffiti art covering its entire side, including characters, patterns, and text. The artwork is composed of various colors such as reds, greens, yellows, and blues. The setting is urban, with buildings visible in the background. The graffiti spans across multiple panels of the train, with some recognizable motifs such as cartoonish figures and abstract shapes. The sign on the train indicates it is a local service on the route from South Ferry to 242 St-Bway in Manhattan.
Henry Chalfant, Rase T-Kid, 1980, 3 chromogenic prints, Corcoran Collection (Gift of Samuel A. and Sandra Esses), 2015.19.4911

Rase T-Kid

Henry Chalfant · 1980 · 3 chromogenic prints ·  Accession ID  2015.19.4911