Audrey Hatchikian Gallery
Papers & Wood
From July 4, 2017 to August 31, 2018
Toxic
United States • 1965
Presentation
Born in 1965, American artist Torrick Ablack is one of the pioneers of the Graffiti movement of the early 80s.
Toxic grew up in the Bronx and began to draw on the trains and the walls of New York at the age of 13, with his friends, Kool Koor and the late A-One.
His meetings with Ramelzee and Basquiat (with whom he later formed the Hollywood Africans, after the name of a famous painting by Basquiat) at the beginning of 80s were decisive for his career. After a few years in Paris, Torrick Ablack lives today in Florence, Italy.
Toxic's paintings constitute a complex and alluring universe, with crazy colors, a journey made of symbols and tags which take us back to his roots and help us understand his artistic career. The artist has a great mastery of color, he draws his floating characters with spray paint on canvas and tells their stories. His painting is a constant evolution, a progression that follows his journey as a man and as an accomplished artist. What he makes today is a discovery, what he will make tomorrow is a bet.
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Toxic grew up in the Bronx and began to draw on the trains and the walls of New York at the age of 13, with his friends, Kool Koor and the late A-One.
His meetings with Ramelzee and Basquiat (with whom he later formed the Hollywood Africans, after the name of a famous painting by Basquiat) at the beginning of 80s were decisive for his career. After a few years in Paris, Torrick Ablack lives today in Florence, Italy.
Toxic's paintings constitute a complex and alluring universe, with crazy colors, a journey made of symbols and tags which take us back to his roots and help us understand his artistic career. The artist has a great mastery of color, he draws his floating characters with spray paint on canvas and tells their stories. His painting is a constant evolution, a progression that follows his journey as a man and as an accomplished artist. What he makes today is a discovery, what he will make tomorrow is a bet.
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Who is the artist?
Born in 1965, American artist Torrick Ablack is one of the pioneers of the Graffiti movement of the early 80s.Toxic grew up in the Bronx and began to draw on the trains and the walls of New York at the age of 13, with his friends, Kool Koor and the late A-One.His meetings with Ramelzee and Basquiat (with whom he later formed the Hollywood Africans, after the name of a famous painting by Basquiat) at the beginning of 80s were decisive for his career. After a few years in Paris, Torrick Ablack lives today in Florence, Italy.Toxic's paintings constitute a complex and alluring universe, with crazy colors, a journey made of symbols and tags which take us back to his roots and help us understand his artistic career. The artist has a great mastery of color, he draws his floating characters with spray paint on canvas and tells their stories. His painting is a constant evolution, a progression that follows his journey as a man and as an accomplished artist. What he makes today is a discovery, what he will make tomorrow is a bet.
What are his 3 main works?
When was Toxic born?
The year of birth of the artist is: 1965