Those who appreciate graffiti as art (much like us) should head to East Harlem to check out Above Ground: Art from the Martin Wong Graffiti Collection.

Rammellzee, *Atomic Note.* Photo credit: *MCNY/Martin Wong*

The late Martin Wong donated over 300 canvases and works on paper to the museum thirty years ago and was friends with the show’s artists. The exhibition, which opens to the public today, trails the works of our favourite street artists, notably Rammellzee (pictured), Futura 2000, Fab 5 Freddy, and Uniqlo's posthumous star, Keith Haring. All of them transitioned from illegal tagging on subways to rubbing shoulders with the art world's bigwigs, among other big things.

Uniqlo, a major Japanese retailer, is the lead sponsor of the exhibit and has leveraged its customization program, UTme!, to collaborate with three of the exhibition artists: photojournalist Martha Cooper and street artists Part One (Enrique Torres) and Bronx native John 'Crash' Matos. To coincide with the exhibition, the three shared two pieces of work for an exclusive line of tees available at the retailer's Fifth Avenue flagship and SoHo stores.

Uniqlo isn't the only fashion brand using graffiti as a concept to gain street cred. Luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, and Moschino have also tapped into the trend, sending models down runways in what the mainstream calls "designs inspired by street art." However, the popular Japanese retailer, a Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. subsidiary, has a strong Gen-Z and Millennial base. It’s also one of the few who offer a take on the "graffiti-inspired" trend that's on-the-nose yet still accessibly priced (a Uniqlo tee sells for roughly about $25 USD, whereas a Givenchy tee, if you can get one, sells upwards of 550 USD).

Uniqlo's popularity stems from its low prices and basic, label-free separates, which give customers a casual-cool aesthetic. That same coolness is part of a clear strategy to drive its Gen-Z and Millennial customer base to the “Above Ground” exhibit. The exhibit takes the viewer on a journey to the genre's purer days, when Black and Latino kids used graffiti as a form of expression and, many hoped, as a way out of the hood.

Over the years, graffiti has become a rather mainstream endeavour, with sportswear juggernauts like Adidas using their Originals division to attract hip-hop heads (aka b-boys and girls) through large-scale activations. For many skeptics and graffiti purists, an artist showcasing their work in an art exhibit (or partaking in a mainstream brand collaboration) is a symbol of selling out; however, Martha Cooper, a purveyor who played a pivotal role in capturing the genre's early days, disagrees. "Artists deserve to make money from their art," she told WWD. "As a freelance photographer in New York City, it’s been so difficult making a living, not so much anymore. I understand perfectly if someone comes along and offers you money for what you do, take it.”

Shout out to WWD for the lead.

Above Ground: Art from the Martin Wong Graffiti Collection runs at the Museum of the City of New York from November 22, 2024, to August 10, 2025.

Enjoy.

Until next time, Ciao Edie!