NEW YORK, NY.- artnet Auctions announced the launch of its new sale, entitled Urban Scrawl: Graffiti and Street Art. This special sale features paintings, collages, prints, and sculpture that outline the origins of the Graffiti movement in New York City in the 1970s and 1980s and that trace those developments to today’s current Street Art phenomenon. Many of the Graffiti and street artists for sale were celebrated just last month in Jeffrey Deitch’s triumphant Art in the Streets exhibition at the Geffen Contemporary at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

The survey of early Graffiti Art for sale on artnet Auctions features artworks from some of the most influential artists of the 20th century, including Keith Haring and Jean Michel Basquiat. Highlighting the sale is a phenomenal Untitled sculpture by Keith Haring of a contorted break-dancer (Est. US$200,000–250,000). Haring, one of the forefathers of Street Art in New York City, is known for his prolific output; however his sculptural works are incredibly rare.

Other artists included in artnet Auctions’ Graffiti and Street Art sale are some of the seminal figures from the Graffiti movement’s earliest days in New York City. Featured artists include TAKI 183, Cope2, Coco 144, Dr. Revolt, LA II, Ronnie Cutrone, Eric Haze, CRASH, and DAZE. Futura 2000’s Untitled painting on canvas (Est. US$25,000–45,000) is a prime example of the artist’s matured aesthetic, featuring his signature helix motif and moody hues. Cope2, one of Graffiti’s most notorious writers who has recently taken his skills to the studio, is represented in the sale by multiple mixed media works for sale, including Insiders (Est. US$3,500–4,500), a brilliantly busy painting and collage on canvas that highlights the graffiti artist’s varied hand-styles, “throw-ups” and tags. Carefully wheat-pasted within the frenetic composition is a vintage image of New York City subway passengers; a nod to a more lawless time on the New York subway system in the 1970s and 1980s.

The sale further explores the musings of today’s Street Art stars such as Bansky, Shepard Fairey, David Ellis, Nick Walker, and Faile. A large, early sculpture by Ellis, c.2000, We (Est. US$5,000–7,000), shows the artist’s earlier techniques and motifs at play. Another standout lot is a large painting on metal by French artist ZEVS, Liquidated Chanel (Est. US$9,000–12,000), of the Chanel logo adorned with his customary drip motif.

Rounding out the sale are some of Graffiti’s “crossover” artists, who have created progressive fine art that has distanced their bodies of work from their Street Art and Graffiti peers. Some of these artists include Steve Powers, KAWS, Rammellzee, and others. KAWS’ four-foot Companion sculpture (Est. US$9,000–12,000) is similar to the monumental Companion sculpture presently on display outside of The Standard Hotel in New York City.

Urban Scrawl: Graffiti and Street Art is currently live for bidding on artnet Auctions and closes June 28, 2011.

Visit the sale on artnet Auctions: http://www.artnet.com/auctions/graffiti-street-art.