Blade

BLADE

NEW YORK / UNITED STATES 

Blade (b.1957, Steven Ogburn) started writing graffiti in 1972, the era when Rock & Roll and Funk infiltrated the airwaves, psychedelics became cool, and the concept of graffiti on trains was still in its infancy. He is one of the godfathers of this art movement not only because of his early adoption, but because of his extensive contributions and innovations. 

As graffiti grew to be technical, blade leaned into the improvisational qualities of graffiti as an art form and a method of storytelling. Blade has become synonymous with an attitude of flyness, eccentricity, and power. His works are effervescent and avant-garde, as well as in-your- face and provocative. 

He is considered to be the blueprint for train bombing as he took over an entire metro system with repetition of his name at all sizes and styles. Painting over 5,000 trains, Blade has earned the title of “King of Graffiti” yet was also one of the first artists to crossover into the fine art world. Today, his paintings are in major personal and institutional collections around the world.