Born in Brooklyn in 1955, the pseudonym of Lenny McGurr, Futura 2000 is a graffiti artist famous for his abstract approaches to Street Art.

In the early 1970s, as a teenager, he began painting in the subway, and over the course of his career, he was associated with groups such as 3YB, CIA, FBI, Interpol, and KGB. While other graffiti artists of the 1970s and 1980s focused on lettering, Futura 2000 introduced a unique abstract style. In the 1980s, he started working on canvases and exhibited alongside American artists like Keith Haring (1958-1990), Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988), and Kenny Scharf (born 1958).

In 1981, he painted the stage backdrops for The Clash’s European tour, designed the cover for their single « This Is Radio Clash, » and in 1982, he handwrote the liner notes and lyric sheets for their album « Combat Rock. » He continued to tour with the band and spray-painted backdrops during their concerts. More recently, Futura 2000 has employed his artistic talents in advertising and graphic design. He has worked with companies like Nike, Recon, and Medicom Toy and designed clothing for his Futura Laboratories label. His work has been exhibited at MoMA PS1 in New York, the Grotinger Museum in the Netherlands, and the Galerie Du Jour in Paris. He lives and works in New York.

paintings

festival « rose beton » – 2016 – toulouse

2016 – spray used by futura – festival rose béton

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