Featured Artist: Futura 2000

Thanks to Futura 2000 for taking time to talk with us and to Bleu for digital support. All images are © copyright 1996 Futura 2000. Interview © copyright 1996 Susan Farrell and Brett Webb, Art Crimes. Do not republish without permission.

Futura 2000 is an old-school New York graffiti writer who used to paint trains there. About this one, he says,

"That piece was a total departure from anything previous. I understood that I could do other things with spray paint and I wanted to experiment. The result was that car and two others in different colors. I was lucky to have (SEEN) catch that one, with the windows up because the others all got buffed or dogged. I had always thought of myself as a writer, tagging insides and other highly visible locales. But the transition to painting outsides and let's say, whole cars was obviously the move. I'm just lucky, I was even there. I really can't explain the mystery. Suffice to say I have had a nice little run."

Now he paints canvases and does shows and hits a billboard or a wall here and there around the world (this one Susan found in Amsterdam in 1995, but Futura says he painted it in '82 or '83).

About his entry into the fine art world he says:

"It was the platform I needed to showcase my talents. not just painting canvases but actually creating artistic compositions. I never went to ART school, and wasn't even sure who Warhol was, but I knew I had something. I had always known that. Right place right time, that's me...... I always go against popular opinions, like to blaze my own trails."

Indeed he has. Futura's artwork is finely developed and uniquely his own. He is well respected by artists and collectors around the world. Despite all this, he remains a really nice guy.

These two are digital versions of a painting called THE GOOD, THE BAD and THE UGLY or AS SEEN ON TV originally done for a group show in Groningen, Holland. I was supposed to pick one, but I like them both too much, so here they are.

Here are some images from his recent show at the LIVESTOCK GALLERY in NYC, featuring original drawings on legal paper, new paintings on canvas and metal, which Futura enhanced for cyberspace.

Futura talks about his life and times.

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