NEW YORK, NY.- Phillips will present 1970s / GRAFFITI / TODAY, an important and exciting exhibition spanning over fifty years of graffiti, curated by Arnold Lehman, with Elizabeth Wallace. The exhibition opens on 13 January 2022, running through 20 February, in Phillips’ New York headquarters at 432 Park Avenue. GRAFFITI includes works by a broad cross section of those who forged the graffiti centers of New York and Los Angeles. Comprising about 150 works consigned by artists, galleries and private collectors, the exhibition represents both the long history and broad scope of graffiti. GRAFFITI also includes major loans from the Sidney Janis collection at the Brooklyn Museum.

Arnold Lehman, Phillips’ Senior Advisor, said, “Graffiti is the only artform with which every single American has firsthand experience. It elicits a response in people from all backgrounds, ranging across a spectrum from reverence to outrage. 1970s / GRAFFITI / TODAY aims to turn the page, shifting the paradigm, as we embrace graffiti’s contributions to 20th and 21st century contemporary art. It is important to elevate this cultural phenomenon and recognize all the great artists who participated in its development, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Chaz Bojórquez, CRASH, Al Díaz, EKLIPS, Fab 5 Freddy, FUTURA, Keith Haring, HAZE, KAWS, KRUSH, Lady Pink, Mister Cartoon, Lee Quiñones, and so many others. We look forward to celebrating these works in New York, a city that has played such a significant role in graffiti’s history. 1970s / GRAFFITI / TODAY will kick off the Spring season at Phillips.”

Arnold Lehman joined Phillips in 2015 as Senior Advisor. Mr. Lehman advises on the global Phillips brand, develops academic programming such as panel discussions and lectures, and organizes exhibitions in support of Phillips’ commitment to modern and contemporary art. As an activist museum director for over forty years, Mr. Lehman advocated for public accessibility, diversity, and freedom of expression in cultural institutions. In his 18 years as Director of the Brooklyn Museum, over 200 exhibitions were presented under his guidance, many traveling nationally and internationally.

Elizabeth Wallace has worked at Phillips for nine years. In her time at the company, she has provided invaluable support, working with Arnold Lehman on the past exhibitions NOMEN: American Women Artists from 1945 to Today, and AMERICAN AFRICAN AMERICAN. Prior to her time at Phillips, Ms. Wallace held positions at Tony Shafrazi Gallery and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.