About the artist:

Very few of prolific graffiti 'writers' who flourished during the 70's and 80's have survived the transition from street to studio. Chris 'Daze' Ellis is among those whose work has provided a powerful and continuing record of an exciting outlaw era of painting. Daze, more than any of the muralists, has successfully conveyed an ongoing message about the mean streets, a segment of the urban cultural experience ignored by more conventional painters. Many of his paintings and watercolors are peopled by characters who at once frighten and amuse. His street scenes are parties where artists, cops, hookers, pimps and musicians mingle. These cartoon-like figures are humorously drawn, but beneath the pleasantness is a more serious subtext. Daze was recognized early on as one of the masters of the graffiti movement. Since then, his work has taken on a new sophistication which depicts the excitement of the street and recreates the spontaneity of the subway paintings which were the direct precursors of the post pop phenomenon. Born: 1962, New York City 1983: "Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans 1983: "Post-Graffiti", Sindey Janis Gallery, NY 1984: "Arte de Frontiera - NY Graffiti" Galerie d'Arte Moderna, Bologna "Graffiti", Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark 1985: "Anniottanta", Galeria Communale d'arte Moderna, Bologna "Fredrick R.Weisman Foundation of Art", Tel Aviv Museum, Tel Aviv 1986: Held one man exhibition. "Crowd Control", Nada Gallery, NYC 1987: Held one man exhibition. "New Paintings", Alexander Woods Gallery, NY 1988: "The Best of the East Village", Nassau County Museum of Art, NY 1989: "Collection Norman Dubrow", Gronneger Museum, Netherlands Held one man exhibition. "Selections from permanent collection", Museum of American Graffiti, NY 1990: "Art Jonction International", Nice, France 1991: "Graffiti Art, Artistes Americains Et Francais", Paris, France 1992: "Coming from the Subway, New York Graffiti", Groninger Museum, Groninger, Holland 1993: "Eight Urban Artists from New York" Gallery Gleditsch 45, Berlin, Germany 1994: "Aerosoul", Paterson, New Jersey 1995: "Drawn on the Museum, Aldrich Museum, Ridgefield, CT 1996: "Creativity onthe Road", Museo Palazzo Rocca, Chiavari, Rapallo & Museo D'Arte Moderna, Gallarate, Italy