An art exhibition that showcases the evolution of street art
This inaugural event at Cultural Goods Gallery, a newly-opened exhibition space in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood, is a group exhibition focusing on the unique and distinct styles of street art. It features a collection of work from New York-based artist Al Diaz, a first generation NYC graffiti artist, and new artworks by Javid Jah, Danilo Deluxo, AlfAlfA, and Kizmet, Toronto artists who all have made significant contributions to graffiti, street art, murals and public art in this city.
See the artworks which are part of this exhibition
Al Diaz is a visual artist who got his start with graffiti in New York City in the 1970s and who later became a text oriented street artist. ‘From Samo©, to Samo©’ features a collection of his works spanning his forty-year career, from his early-teen graffiti collaboration with Jean-Michel Basquiat to his later prolific text-based collage works. SAMO© was a graffiti tag Al Diaz had been using with Basquiat in the late 1970s. Since 2016, Diaz has revived the SAMO© tag and updated its political commentary for the Trump era. He also cuts out and rearranges letters from service change posters and wet paint signs from the New York City subway system to create poignant collaged anagrams.
Learn more about Al Diaz’s art career in this CBC article about the exhibition
Javid Jah is an interdisciplinary artist based in Toronto. He works on projects ranging from sculptures and public art to murals to contemporary architecture. Javid’s work, which is influenced by Op Art and cosmology, explores graffiti, Islam and sacred geometries.
Danilo Deluxo is an award-winning Toronto multidisciplinary artist, graphic designer, muralist and cultural curator. His creative practice explores the multiplicities of Black identity through the lens of Afrofuturism.
AlfAlfA is a Toronto-based muralist and an illustrator originally from Venezuela. His large-scale murals – featuring an instantly-recognizable style of cross contour drawing with black and white lines of varying thickness – can be seen on buildings all around the world. He works on walls, canvas and paper and his artworks often depict mythical beings that are a hybrid between animal and human.
Kizmet is a Toronto painter, muralist and installation artist working with aerosol paint. He creates murals, light installation pieces and stage designs.
Event details
Hosted by: Cultural Goods Gallery
Type of event: Group exhibition
Curated by: Grace Zeppilli and Jason Halter
Featured artists: Al Diaz, Javid Jah, Danilo Deluxo, AlfAlfA, and Kizmet
Date: Saturday, October 29 to Saturday, December 17, 2022.
Time: Tue-Sat, 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM or by appointment.
Cost: free
Location: 1444 Dupont Street, Unit 15, Toronto, ON, M6P 4H3, Canada.
Contact Details: Cultural Goods Gallery, www.culturalgoodsgallery.com, (416) 530-0444, info@culturalgoodsgallery.com. For any artwork pricing inquiries, please contact Cultural Goods Gallery via email.