HOW TO GO
WHAT: Exhibit, "The Return of KAOS," by graffiti artist David Gerena
WHEN: Opening reception from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16
WHERE: Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum, 1763 Hamilton Cleves Road
In the 1970s and 1980s, subway trains in New York and vacant building walls across the country were adorned with graffiti tags. While some of the work was considered crass, a part of it was recognized as being able to make coherent social statements and give a voice to the voiceless.
One of the better known graffiti artists of that time period, New York native David Gerena, will be making an appearance at Pyramid Hill to showcase some of his work.
Gerena’s graffiti murals were made under his moniker “KAOS” and have been featured on the walls of the famous Roxy nightclub in New York and the Club Demerara.
His work was also showcased in the hip-hop movie “Beatstreet,” the first major motion picture to examine the ways in which graffiti art changed a generation.
Currently, Gerena’s work is in the Cincinnati Art Museum, where he’s managed to blend his graffiti roots with progressive and transitive style into something that is all together new.
Going from a subway artist to working on canvas has been an interesting journey for Gerena.
“I have such a storied and extensive history within the progression of graffiti as a style, my art showcases the ways in which graffiti can transcend from a wall to a canvas,” he said. “Graffiti has always been around, but in the 1980s when it really took off I was drawn to figurative art. Now I’m taking the human figure and applying the techniques of graffiti art to it.”
One of the graffiti pieces that Gerena is known for is a handball court mural, “Baby Don’t Do It,” which has been published in Henry Chalfant’s book, “Spraycan Art.”
“Me and a friend a graffiti writer named Mace decided to do a mural about the explosion of crack at that time in the ’80s,” Gerena said. “It was an anti-crack mural of a giant baby left in a room, no graffiti lettering, with crack vials and a crack pipe around it. It was on 48th Street and 9th Avenue in Manhattan.”
Jeni Barton, director of Programming and Administration at Pyramid Hill, said Gerena’s work is very well-respected and still relevant in the modern art-world.
“We are thrilled to exhibit an artist that was there for the birth of an artistic style that is at the forefront of the contemporary art world today,” Barton said. “David continues to create work that is relevant and modern and will display in perfect contrast to our Ancient Sculpture Collection in the Ancient Sculpture Museum.”
Gerena’s “The Return of KAOS” exhibit’s opening reception will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16. Music will be provided by DJ Mech. There is no charge to attend the reception.
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