Solid Formation, 1984

Solid Formation, 1984

Spray paint on canvas
52 x 98 in. (132.08 x 248.92 cm.)
Signed, titled, and dated on verso 

90,000 USD

Dondi White (1961–1998) was a graffiti artist best known for his dynamic lettering and stick figures, and is considered the most influential graffiti artist in terms of style. Born in New York, he began his career in the early 1970s, as part of the group of graffiti artists known as The Odd Partners, who worked primarily on the M, J, and LL subway lines during the 1970s. In 1977, Dondi formed his own group, known as CIA, and established his reputation as one of the most stylistically innovative and influential graffiti artists of his generation.

In 1980, Dondi began to work on canvas, and became associated with a group of artists working in the East Village, including Futura 2000, Keith Haring, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Dondi’s work on canvas, such as this 1984 painting Solid Formation, reiterates the lettering, symbolic icons, and stick figures that were his signature marks on the streets. Before settling on his last name "Dondi," the artist experimented with multiple other tag names including "Bus 129", clearly referenced here. His work has been exhibited at the Groninger Museum in the Netherlands, the Fun Gallery in New York, and the Musée des Monuments Français in Paris. Dondi died in 1998 of AIDS