United Graffiti Artists Explained

United Graffiti Artists (aka UGA) was an early American graffiti artists collective, founded in 1972 by Hugo Martinez in New York City.[1] [2] UGA was the first organized group of writers, and the first to promote graffiti as a high art.[3] [4] [5] Martinez, then a student activist at City College of New York, organized a group of teenagers who had been tagging the subways into a loose collective, formalizing their work and paving the way for commercialization.[6] In September 1973, UGA organized the first ever gallery show of graffiti at the Razor Gallery in SoHo.[7] [8] [9]

According to authors Cori Anderson and Kevin Jackson, the artists of UGA elevated the profile of graffiti, bringing it from the subways and the streets to art galleries and studios.[10] [11] Henry Chalfant, a sculptor from New York City said "United Graffiti Artists (UGA) and Nation of Graffiti Artists (NOGA), marked the first attempts to organize and legitimize writers as artists."[12]

Early members of UGA included PHASE 2, SJK 171,[13] TAKI 183,[14] HENRY 161 (Henry Medina), and MIKE 171 (Mike Hughes).[15]

Notes and References

  1. News: ART; 'Hip Hop' Moves Closer to Respectability. The New York Times. Vivien Raynor. March 3, 1991. January 1, 2020.
  2. News: Using Graffiti as a Decorating Tool. The New York Times. Penelope Green. April 10, 2005. January 1, 2020.
  3. Book: Gottlieb, Lisa.. Graffiti art styles : a classification system and theoretical analysis. 2008. McFarland. 978-0-7864-3436-7. Jefferson, N.C.. 38–39. 228608106.
  4. Miller. Ivor. 144157165. July 1993. Guerrilla artists of New York City. Race & Class. en-US. 35. 1. 27–40. 10.1177/030639689303500104. 0306-3968.
  5. Book: Castleman, Craig.. Getting up : subway graffiti in New York. 1982. MIT Press. 0-262-03089-6. Cambridge, Mass.. 8476629.
  6. News: Art Basel Miami Beach 2019: Museum of Graffiti Opens in Wynwood. WWD. Kristen Tauer. December 5, 2019. January 5, 2020.
  7. News: Phase 2, an Aerosol Art Innovator, Is Dead at 64. The New York Times. Jon Caramonica. December 20, 2019. January 1, 2020.
  8. News: Graffiti Goes Legit—But the 'Show-Off Ebullience' Remains. The New York Times. Peter Schjeldahl. Peter Schjeldahl. September 16, 1973. January 1, 2020.
  9. News: Graffiti art highlighted in NYC exhibition. Associated Press. Ula Ilnytzky. February 3, 2014. January 1, 2020.
  10. News: Reading graffiti. Prospect. Kevin Jackson. May 20, 2001. January 1, 2020.
  11. News: MCA-Denver Debuts Its Biggest Opening With Gritty And Uncensored Exhibit. 303 Magazine. Cori Anderson. February 13, 2017. January 1, 2020.
  12. Chalfant, H. 1992. “No One Is in Control.” Pp. 4-11 in Vandalism: Research, Prevention and Social Policy, edited by H. H. Chistensen, D. R. Johnson, and M. H. Brookes . Portland, OR: Department of Agriculture Forest Service.Vandalism: research, prevention, and social policy. 1992. United States Forest Service. 10.2737/PNW-GTR-293. 158966695. 2027/umn.31951d029749434. free . Christensen . H.H. . Johnson . D.R. . Brookes . M.H. .
  13. News: Exploring The Evolution Of Street Art. GOOD Magazine. Liz Ohanesian. May 22, 2018. January 1, 2020.
  14. Web site: Celebrating Street Art in a Chinatown Warehouse. Thomas. Sean P.. Los Angeles Downtown News - The Voice of Downtown Los Angeles. en. 2019-12-29.
  15. News: "Beyond The Streets" Harkens To Graffiti's Roots In Diversity. LA Weekly. Jordan Riefe. June 21, 2018. January 1, 2020.

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