Italy’s First Landmark ‘Graffiti’ Exhibition Opens at Museion

The Museion Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Bolzano is now hosting Italy’s first significant graffiti exhibition. Titled “Graffiti“, this exhibition has been meticulously organized by Leonie Radine and Ned Vena. It gathers a star-studded lineup of 60 trailblazing artists who have made their mark within the medium, as well as those who push its boundaries. This impressive group includes Futura 2000, Keith Haring, Jenny Holzer, Rammellzee, Lee Quiñones, and Shaun Crawford.

Over a space of 1,500 square meters spread across two levels, this exhibition delves into how the dynamic, unrefined spirit of street art found its way from the streets to the studio. Starting with early spray paintings predating graffiti in the 1950s, Graffiti journeys through iconic graffiti artists of the 1980s and culminates with contemporary creators who blend aspects of this art form into their work.

Vena shares, “Graffiti served as a path for me to become an artist, and it influences the way I perceive the world, such as art for instance. This showcase presents pieces that might not directly depict graffiti, but they embody its essence and artistic style.

Notable features encompass Crawford’s “NYPD SMD,” an eerie, skull-like composition by KAYA (Kerstin Brätsch and Debo Eliers), as well as one of Haring’s lively, expansive “Untitled” pieces. Graffiti has always been a dialogue between the artist and their surroundings; it transcends being merely a visual language etched across landscapes, instead serving as a unique perspective on the world.

You can currently see the exhibition running until September 14. For a complete list of the participating artists, please scroll down.

Artists: Yuji Agematsu, Chantal Akerman, Nick Atkins, Charles Atlas, Lutz Bacher, Martin Barré, Blade (graffiti artist), Monica Bonvicini, Patricia L. Boyd, Dan Christensen, Shaun Crawford, Curtis Cuffie, René Daniëls, Daze (graffiti artist), Manuel DeLanda, Melvin Edwards, Matias Faldbakken, Heike-Karin Föll, Futura 2000 (graffiti artist), Keith Haring, Jenny Holzer, Lady Pink (graffiti artist), KAYA, Jutta Koether, Michael Krebber, Brad Kronz, Maggie Lee, Klara Lidén, Ilya Lipkin, Colette Lumiere, Kunle Martins, Jeanette Mundt, Georgie Nettell, Armando Nin, N.O.Madski, Clayton Patterson, Charlotte Posenenske, Josephine Pryde, Quik (graffiti artist), Lee Quiñones, Carol Rama, Rammellzee, R.I.P. Germain, Matthew “Zexor” Rodriguez, Karin Sander, Seen (graffiti artist), David Smith, Dash Snow, Ben Solomon, Hedda Sterne, Emily Sundblad, SoiL Thornton, Alix Vernet, WANTO, Lawrence Weiner, Dondi White, Martin Wong & LA2, Christopher Wool, Zephyr (graffiti artist)
This list includes a variety of artists such as Yuji Agematsu, Chantal Akerman, Nick Atkins, Charles Atlas, Lutz Bacher, Martin Barré, graffiti artists Blade and Lady Pink, Monica Bonvicini, Patricia L. Boyd, Dan Christensen, Shaun Crawford, Curtis Cuffie, René Daniëls, Daze and Futura 2000 (known for graffiti), Manuel DeLanda, Melvin Edwards, Matias Faldbakken, Heike-Karin Föll, Keith Haring, Jenny Holzer, artists KAYA, Jutta Koether, Michael Krebber, Brad Kronz, Maggie Lee, Klara Lidén, Ilya Lipkin, Colette Lumiere, Kunle Martins, Jeanette Mundt, Georgie Nettell, Armando Nin, N.O.Madski, Clayton Patterson, Charlotte Posenenske, Josephine Pryde, Quik, Lee Quiñones, Carol Rama, Rammellzee, R.I.P. Germain, Matthew “Zexor” Rodriguez, Karin Sander, Seen, David Smith, Dash Snow, Ben Solomon, Hedda Sterne, Emily Sundblad, SoiL Thornton, Alix Vernet, WANTO, Lawrence Weiner, Dondi White, Martin Wong & LA2, Christopher Wool, and graffiti artist Zephyr.

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