Solo show Zurich

CRASH

2017 JUN 15 – JUL 15

The Color Swatches

From the streets to the galleries shows the exemplary path of John ‚Crash‘ Matos that conquered the early graffiti art scene in New York. The Kolly Gallery is proud to present the new artworks of international renowned pioneer of graffiti John ‚Crash‘ Matos within his solo exhibition entitled The Color Swatches from June 15 to July 15, 2017.

Discover CRASH original artworks

Color explosions as well as the omnipresent icon of the eye are predominant features in Crash’s canvases of the exhibition. As the title gives away the different colored swatches imitate amplified sprayed tags or throws ups on walls. The opaque yet transparent coloring and the layouts of the different patches should be a playful and light assimilation of tags and paint splats. Accompanied by the legacy of old school graffiti Crash developed his compositions, while traversing several abstraction processes. Lettering and tags became color swatches. Full feminine faces from his earlier paintings were shortened to one essential icon – the eye. John ‚Crash‘ Matos will surprise the public by showing drawings, canvases as well as installations. Crash wants to bring his own vibe to the city of Zurich, hoping to communicate his experience of graffiti to the world.

“I paint to communicate an experience.”

John ‚Crash‘ Matos, 2017.

Back in the 70ies and 80ies John ‚Crash‘ Matos was a crucial personality in the graffiti movement in New York. In 1978 as one of the first graffiti writers he began painting on canvas. Soon his artworks were exhibited next to Keith Haring’s and Jean Michel-Basquiat’s pieces. At the age of 19 Crash curated his first and ground-breaking exhibition Graffiti Art Success for America at Fashion Moda (NY). Nowadays his works are represented in renowned art museums, such as: Museum of Modern Art in New York, Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Brooklyn Museum of Art in Brooklyn.