Above Ground.
A graffiti exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York
These works were donated to the museum by Chinese American painter Martin Wong. He had befriended many of the young artists who were creating graffiti in 1980’s New York and collected their works. He co-founded the Museum of American Graffiti in the East Village in 1989. Issues with the space, the top floor of a townhouse, caused the museum to close after six months.
Following an AIDS diagnosis in 1993, Wong donated his collection to the Museum of the City of New York. He passed away in 1999.
off the leash 
I only recently became aware of the Museum of the City of New York while reading a book from the 1950s. After looking into all the amazing, varied items in its collection, I’m embarrassed that I knew nothing about this museum. Your post today is a good reminder _ and yet another good reason _ to make the museum a must-see on a future visit to Manhattan.
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The Museum of the City of New York is a large 3-floor museum on Fifth Avenue in the so-called museum mile. When I visited, in addition to the graffiti exhibit, there were exhibits about New York’s art deco architecture, a history of activism in the city and a tribute to Shirley Chisholm. Would definitely recommend it.
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Nice look at 1980s New York graffiti. This post made me think about the way graffiti art has evolved over the decades and how public perception has changed as well. At one time, you’d never have thought of viewing graffiti pieces in an art gallery.
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I was thinking the same as another commenter. It’s interesting to look back at these old works of art to see how graffiti has changed. I’ve never heard of this museum, thanks for the introduction. Maggie
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What I really love about this is the wide variety of “graffiti”. Each unique and with a story. Sometimes I get tired of the repetition of shapes, colors and words used on graffiti today. (At least on things I see in my neck of the woods. It seems very predictable to me. But I would go see this exhibit for sure. Truly, this is art. Julie
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