The Escapades of Futura 2000 feat. The Clash
Abstract wholecar by Futura 2000. Photo by Seen (click for full size)
The Escapades of Futura 2000
(feat. The Clash, Dondi White & Fab 5 Freddy)
The name Futura 2000 should be well known to any graffiti fans. An old school vandal from the Subway Art era, he started out tagging insides in the mid 70s, before moving on to using spray paint to paint panels on subway cars by the early 80s.
His style always stood out right from back then, with it’s more typographic inspired lettering and especially his trademark abstract pieces. Futura’a style also stood out because of his super clean thin lines – even back in the 80s he was achieving airbrush-thin lines on his pieces, which when you think about the difference in spraypaint back then to the paint of now – most of it specially designed with graffiti writers in mind, is incredible.
With his abstract style of art, it wasn’t long before he made the move into the fine art world, saying: “It was the platform I needed to showcase my talents. not just painting canvases but actually creating artistic compositions. I never went to ART school, and wasn’t even sure who Warhol was, but I knew I had something. I had always known that. Right place right time, that’s me…… I always go against popular opinions, like to blaze my own trails.”
He is still very active to this day, both as graphic designer and artist. He designed the iconic characters for James Lavelle’s UNKLE, and is especially prominent in the sneaker collectors scene having worked with labels like Nike, Supreme, The North Face and Bathing Ape amongst others, as well as running his own Futura label of t-shirts.
But before all that, he was noticed by a very different scene – British punk rockers The Clash, while on tour in the States in the early 80s fell in love with hip hop culture, and upon being introduced to Futura 2000 and Dondi White while in New York, asked Futura to tour with them, painting in the background of the stage while they played throughout The USA and Europe. He also provided artwork for several Clash albums, and even provided guest vocals for them – dropping a freestyle on the track Overpowered by Funk, from Combat Rock.
A few years later, Futura also recorded this track, The Escapades of Futura 2000. As a song itself; it is maybe not remarkable – Futura’s rap is amateur, though it definitely has a certain charm as he tells his old school graffiti stories. But what really makes this track incredible is the all star lineup! The funk beat is played live by The Clash themselves, and it features backup vocals from none other than Fab 5 Freddy and the Style Master General himself, Dondi White (RIP).
The Clash, Futura 2000, Fab 5 Freddy and Dondi White recording The Escapades in the studio. Photo by Bob Gruen
More old school graffiti pieces from Futura 2000 after the jump:
The Clash banner, painted by Futura 2000 and Zephyr CIA
End to end subway car burners by Kel 1st & Futura 2000. Photo by Martha Cooper
Futura piece showing his typographic lettering style
Futura 2000 in Amsterdam circa around 1983
Special thanks to Susan Farrell & Brett Webb from Art Crimes where I jacked the Futura quote from and for running a dope site.
The Escapades of Futura 2000
(feat. The Clash, Dondi White & Fab 5 Freddy)
This is the coolest photo I have seen in a while.
Cool one =)) =^_^=