Past exhibition 

Speerstra Collection "Graffiti stories"

Graffiti stories

| Show: 01.06.2007 - 30.09.2007

Exhibition “GRAFFITI STORIES”
At L’ABBAYE D’AUBERIVE / MUSEE PAUL VALERY / MIAM



THE SPEERSTRA COLLECTION


It is the story of a father and his son driven by a common passion, Graffiti Art. It all began in New York in the early 80's. William Speerstra father seeing the subway trains covered with huge multicolored signatures, he fell in love for the movement, he buys some of the first Graffiti works on canvas that few galleries are beginning to expose. The Graffiti Writers experiment this new support at the request from galleries reproducing identically what they paint on the subway cars at night.

In 1989, Willem Speerstra Junior starts to collect Graffiti artworks, he has the very first canvas ("Electric Boogie" representing a B.boy doing a pose) by Chris "Daze" Ellis.

Willem Speerstra imposes Graffiti Art as a major art movement. He sincerely believes that Graffiti Art should be historically inscribed in museums, but it will come with time. Today, Willem Speerstra , strong of his collection is recognized as a priviligiated partner, by his work as a visionnary gallerist, he has contributed by giving nobility to the letters of Graffiti Art.

© Speerstra Gallery 2010