Image via Complex Original
intro
Born in hip-hop's cradle, the South Bronx, Cope2 began writing graffiti in the late 1970s under the wing of his cousin "Chico 80."
For three decades now, Cope2 has spread his distinct "wildstyle" graffiti across the globe - hitting city streets and gallery walls with equal power. 2011 has been a big year for the legendary artist. Solo exhibitions at the Maximillian Gallery in Los Angeles and TT-Underground Gallery in New York City complimented inclusion in The (S) Files Biennial at the El Museo Del Barrio (and a smattering of other smaller group shows). Despite a busy show schedule, Cope also managed to produce bangers at this years Art Basel Miami, working alongside LA's Buff Monster.
The successes of 2011 come from a career balancing commercial, gallery, and street art. After initial sales through Christie's, Cope2 garnered significant corporate work. Most famously, he produced a mural on behalf of Time Magazine in 2005 (allegedly making $20,000). Later, he worked includes collaborations with Converse and adidas. By the end of the 2000s, Cope2 was a regular feature in art galleries around the world, mounting solo shows in Brooklyn, Chicago, and Tokyo.
Today is Cope2's birthday. And, in that spirit we honor his life's work by looking at highlights from a career that has blossomed from trademark bubble letters to raw abstract masterpieces that fetch impressive prices at auction. In particular, we share the moments where Cope2's art has permeated mass culture from album covers to video games. Continue on for a review of Cope2's illustrious career.
trains
Getting Busy On The Trains
Cope2 built his reputation like many of NYC's greats, on the trains. Mastering his style through the 1980s, transit travelers soon become aware of his tag.
bdp
Boogie Down Productions, Sex and Violence cover, 1992
In 1992, Cope2 created the cover for BDP's final record, Sex and Violence. The art, featuring a ribald bar scene fitting of the album's theme. The cover marks the beginning of Cope's commercial art career. (Note: Cope's "wildstyle" tags appeared in the inside cover. The painting on the cover, shown here, is by Robert Williams).
Our homie Frank the Butcher shares this memory —
"Everyone in my neighborhood always tagged coming up. Some pieced but most tagged (never goes away!). I was a die hard Boogie Down Productions fan as a kid and 'Sex & Violence' was my favorite album at the time. 1992- maybe 8th grade. The cover has this crazy Robert Williams painting of an older business type man with a naked chick on his lap and clocks, space and weird shit. It was nuts. But then I opened the cover and it had this super dope wild style "Sex and Violence" lettering across the inside. I was obsessed with redrawing it and mastering it. It was the most beautiful shit I ever seen in my life. It was Cope 2 — first time I've heard of him. Legend! "
galleries and auctions
Auctions and Galleries, 1998-2005
At the end of the 1990s, Cope2's work was formally recognized by the art world. In 1998, he was included in Tags, Bombs & Scratchiti at Martinez Gallery in New York City. This lead to his work landing on the auction block, selling as part of the Graffit Art Auction at Guernsey's in 2000. A series of exhibitions at notable institutions — including the Brooklyn Museum of Art — followed. Cope2's stature and a "true legend" firming up in the first half of the '00s.
Time
Time Commission, 2005
In 2005, Time brought in Cope2 to produce a mural in NYC's SOHO. This was his first major corporate commission and the springboard for the fruitful gallery and commercial successes of the last six years.
adidas
Cope2 x adidas, 2008
Like several other graffiti artists, Cope2 is no stranger to the sneaker game. In 2008, he linked with adidas and Footlocker to create a distinct package of sneakers and apparel. Like most of his commercial work, Cope manages to deftly add his individual flare to the commission.
CLOUT
Cope2 x CLOUT Magazine, 2009
In 2009, CLOUT Magazine worked with Cope2 on a limited edition shirt released in conduction with the publication's 11th issue. The t-shirt featured a classic COPE2 tag, evidence of his continued relevance to the increasingly global (thanks, internet) street culture scene. As you can see, the collaboration drew from Cope2's early days.
true legend
True Legend Exhibitoin, Dirty Pilot Gallery, April 13 - May 13, 2010
True Legend shared the full glory of Cope2's studio paintings, which mix acrylic and aerosal paints to form abstract backgrounds for the artist's signature "wildstyle."
barrio
El Museo's The (S) Files Biennial, 2011
This year, Cope2 was honored with inclusion in El Museo's The (S) Files biennial exhibition. Highlighting Latin and Latino artists working in New York City who explore the raw aesthetic of the street, El Museo del Barrio mounted its sixth biennial across seven different venues in New York City. Cope2's mural takes center stage at the museum's cafe, accessible to all passing along 5th Avenue's Museum Mile.
buff monster
Cope2 x Buff Monster, Art Basel Miami, 2011
Buff Monster, known for his ice cream flavored characters, collaborated with Cope2 earlier this month in Miami. While the mural pairing may seem unlikely, it again illustrates Cope2's continued interest and role in the growth of street art globally.
GTA
Cope2 in Grand Theft Auto IV, 2008
After appearing in Mark Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure in 2006, Cope2 made a second video game appearence in 2008's GTA IV. Popular culture was catching up to Cope, and his familiar tag was seen on screens across the world.