About the artist CRASH

Like his contemporaries, Keith Haring and Daze, Crash's work was discovered in a most unconventional way, through the murals he spray painted on subway cars, handball courts and the walls of buildings in dilapidated neighborhoods. These massive and spontaneously executed murals reflected the raw energy of the urban street culture of which these artists were a motivating force. Using the IRT subways as his launching pad, Crash (John Matos) established a visual link between the 'underground' and the 'above-ground'.

Crash found a new and aesthetically sophisticated audience for his work, first at the innovative alternative spaces in the Bronx and East Village and later at some of the most important showcases for established artists.

Born in New York City in 1961, by the middle of 1989, at the age of 28, Crash had been featured in dozens of one-man and group shows at galleries and museums around the world. Crash's paintings, watercolors and prints show the influence of a number of pop artists, including Lichtenstein, Rosenquist and Johns, yet they are convincingly original, retaining the power and humor of the hip-hop era.

Unlike many painters whose perspective changes with their elevated status in the art world, Crash remains loyal to his inspiration. His large-scale paintings that were executed on the sides of the trains inspired his large scale paintings that are now in many collections throughout the world.

The paintings of Crash have something in common with the american pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. Big clear figures from comic books sprayed in bright contrasting and complementary colors are typical for Crash' paintings. As the name Crash has a feel of violence, indeed his works have always elements of violence. A car exploding in the air, a firy cloud with the name Crash or just the name Crash, painted with speed and power.

Next is a quote from an interview with Crash is from the Catalogue “Coming From The Subway” from the 1992 Groninger Museum exhibition.

"I painted and drawed since my childhood. So it was no coincidence that I started doing graffiti. Those two things just belonged together. Like many others in those days I started Graffiti at the age of 12 meeting all the older guys who did the subways. My first train I did at the age of 15 in 1976. The last one I did in 1980. In 1978 I made my first painting on canvas, just painting my name.

Then, in 1980, the hell broke loose. The art world adopted graffiti art. I stopped doing trains and focuessed on canvas. On canvas you have the time and peace to really express yourself. For me it as natural as I have always been painting on canvas. A lot of graffit artists had a hard time changing to canvas.The first exhibition was at Fashion Moda back in 1980. I was the composer of that show. It was the first real big graffiti show.

There had been shows before, but they were never taken seriously by the public and the art critics. They were only seen as ways to sell graffiti stuff. For this show I told all the participating artists that we were going to paint on wood and canvas. They did and it was perfect! The show was crowded with people and there was a lot of media attention.

From there Graffiti Art exploded in the 1980's.I have been more lucky than most of the other kids. I was adopted by the art world and became one of the few to really exhibit in New York, together with guys like Keith Haring and Jean Michel Basquiat. They were not real graffiti writers, but they represented in some way the street art culture of that time. Their work had nothing to do with the spray can art of the subways and the tunnels, but they opened the doors to the art world for us and we benefited from that."

Museums such as the Groninger Museum, Groningen,Holland, The Ludwig Museum, Kassel, Germany, and many private as well as public collections see Crash as much more than an 'ex-graffiti' writer who turned to painting on canvas. He was seen as a visionary, capturing moments in life, then spinning stories for anyone and everyone to see. 

About the Limited Edition Poster

The poster was masterfully printed in 1988 in a limited edition of 2.500 (only few are left today). The print is in full colour on 32"x48" sized heavy quality (250 gr.) semi-gloss Platyn Silk paper.

The poster comes shipped in a well-protected and sturdy shaft.

"Really Showing The Detail"

"I just recieved my Crash poster today. The order came exactly two weeks after I purchased the poster, which was pretty quick for an overseas shipment. It arrived in a sturdy tube. The poster is quality, printed on a thick semi-gloss paper, and really shows the detail in Crash's original piece." 

Courtney Harris 
Bellingham, WA USA

Graffiti Art Poster - CRASH, Reflections 1983

Artist: John “Crash” Matos
Title: Reflections, 5/1983.
Limited Edition: 2.500
Measurements of Print: 32” x 48”/80 x 120 cm
Image Size on Print: 30” x 47”/74 x 118 cm
Quality: offset print full color on 250 grams Platyn Silk Paper
Year of print: 1988
Condition: Excellent

Normal Price: €67

Sale Price: €47

(includes cost for Shipment, Handling & Insurance)

(Your Order Will Be Processed Over Secure Servers)

Once your order is authorized, it will be processed promptly and shipped to you within 48 hours.

Beware:   this fast mover discount offer may expire at anytime. Only limited quantity is available. Once it sells out, these posters will never come to market again!

"My Crazy 90 Day Guarantee"

I'm never satisfied unless you a. re more than 100% satisfied. So here's my simple "No Small Print" guarantee.

Try these beautiful posters today and if for any reasons in the next 90 days, you don't agree that these posters are worth every dime, send us back immediately the package and we'll you the full amount of your investment - no questions asked.

So You Have Nothing To Loose And Everything To Gain

"A Promise I Made To CRASH"

This is a mail I got from John 'CRASH' Matos some time ago...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Greetings, Frank...

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you...
busy schedule. 

I will get you information in regards to a charity here in teh Bronx that is very special.
It is a church that is being expanded that helps feed and house very poor families.
They feed them them, with a kitchen once a day, and give out used clothes and blankets.
No one ever heres about these types of small charities, because they are not
very glamorous, but they are extremely important...if they did not exist, many would be homeless
and hungry...
it is a shame....

anyway, enough of that...
i'll be in touch....

c. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Of course I will stick to my promise...

... and will immediately donate 10% of sales to the charities selected by the artist.

Sincerely,

Frank Essink

"Fantastic!"

Thank you for the posters. They are fantastic!

Patricia Farrell 
Addiscombe, United Kingdom