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Now showing new paintings by TAKI 183. As one of the most influential Graffiti writers in its history. His “tag” was short for Demetaki, a Greek alternative for his birth-name Demetrius, and the number 183 came from his address on 183rd Street in Washington Heights He worked as a foot messenger in New York City and would write his Nickname around the streets of New York City that he frequented during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

On July 21, 1971, The New York Times ran an article about him on the front page of its inside section, titled “Taki 183″ Spawns Pen Pals. TAKI 183 spurred competitive vandalism in NYC as his tag was mimicked by hundreds of youth across the five boroughs. The kids who got their names up the most and who developed signature tags, became known in their communities. Graffiti became a way for many young kids to try to get attention and the attention TAKI 183 received spurred this on.

Although TAKI 183 was the first to be showcased in a publication it is said that Julio 204 began writing his tag in NYC first. However Julio did not write outside his own neighborhood and this is arguably the reason why he never received the media-attention TAKI did.

TAKI was last known to be the owner of a foreign car repair shop. In an interview with the New York Daily News of April 9, 1989, he talked about his retirement as a graffiti vandal: “As soon as I got into something more productive in my life, I stopped. Eventually I got into business, got married, bought a house, had a kid. Didn’t buy a station wagon, but I grew up, you could say that.” The graffiti tag in the 1985 film Turk 182 was inspired by TAKI 183.

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DirtyPilot Presents – NOW & THEN – Classic works from The Hobbs Gallery

From now through September 10, we will be teaming up with our friends at The Hobbs Gallery to provide you with an exclusive collection of rare, important graffiti. Dirtypilot.com proudly presents: Now and Then, a unique sale consisting of works from 1981 to the present.

For this summer only, Dirtypilot will offer paintings and works on paper by graffiti legends such as ZEPHYR, LADY PINK, FUTURA, PHASE2, IZ THE WIZ, DONDI, SEEN, TAKI, DAZE, REVOLT, CRASH, and many more. Check back often, as we will be updating our inventory all summer long!

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DirtyPilot Presents – TKID 170 – New paintings
Today – through July 15.

Julius (Tkid170) Cavero was raised in the South Bronx. At that time the streets of the south Bronx where a dangerous place for a young boy, the streets here full of Gangs and drugs and there was not a young boy like Julius could do, but to be a part of his environment. Julius started to scribble graffiti in a neighborhood park. He was approached by neighborhood gang and told that if he wanted to write graffiti he would have to join the gang or they would hurt him every time they saw him. So Julius had no choice but to be part of that gang. He started writing (king 13) and the name of the gang (Bronx Enchanters) everywhere. He continued the gang life till he was shot 3 times in a park by another gang when he refused to take off his Gang jacket.

While Julius was in the hospital he realized that none of his friends from the gang came to visit him. Only his mother and his brother would come and see him. He decided to never again be part of any gang and he changed his name from king13 to T.kid170. When T.kid left the hospital he went straight to the train yards and leaves the gang life behind. Graffiti became his life. He dedicated to turn those steel monsters in to rolling works of art that brightened the darkest tunnels of the New York City subway system. Tkid was renowned for his letter style and use of colors. He was one of the first Graffiti artist to start painting Graffiti on canvas when he was invited to be a part of the Sam Esses project in 1980, some of the other artist that where a part of this project where Futura2000, Zephyr, Haze, Bilrock to name a few.

In 1982 T.kid left the subways and painting graffiti illegally so he could exhibit his art in Galleries all over NYC. His first exhibit was at the 1199 gallery. This was the working people`s gallery and all his work was sold. He later exhibited in the Fashion Moda gallery. and the Fun gallery. Ok Harris, P.S1, Sidney Janice Gallery and countless small galleries in the SoHo area of lower Manhattan. Eventually T.kid would travel to Europe painting his first mural for T.D.K cassettes on a bill board in Vauxhall crossing in the heart of London England. Later on Exhibiting in Galleries in Berlin Germany, Paris France, Stockholm Sweden, Madrid Spain, Johannesburg South Africa and Countless other countries.

Most recently T.kid has been selling his art In Auction houses such as Phillip Depury & co and Guernsey’s to name a few. He has sold work to countless collectors such as Marc Ecko a giant in the clothes manufacturing business and Gunter Sachs world renowned philanthropist.

T.Kid`s auto biography of growing up in the South Bronx (The Nasty Terrible T.kid170) was sold out in its first and second publishing. He continues to travel the world influencing a new generation of artist spreading his message of hope. That no matter where you come from you can succeed if you only try.

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DirtyPilot Presents – SHAME 125 – Works on Paper
Today – through June 7, 2013.

In graffiti there are a slew of writers’ writers, guys who were prolific stylists that for some reason slipped by the radar . Anyone who followed the culture in the 80’s or was lucky enough to paint with Shame 125 aka Much 107 knows that he rocked hard. Simple clean letters with pristine characters. A disciple of Skeme who painted with DEZ and a slew of other heavy hitters of his era, Shame 125 dropped out of sight in the early 90’s. He got busy on a freight with SAK and Slave a few years ago and has been painting the town lately.

His career on trains began on the 6 line around ‘83 with Brim. They were amongst the first members of TAT’s . Mack also partnered up with them. Shame’s talent made him a sought after partner. He met Raz, who introduced him to SEEN UA and pilgramages to the ghost yard circa ‘84 became commonplace. During this period he would often collaborate with Cem , Kenn , T.KID , Bio , Lase and Raz who would execute an army of memorable cars that set the style standard of the day. Shame even made a cameo appearance on the #1 Broadway line, blazing a two man panel with DERO. He quit the trains in ‘87. The baddest cats in the game speak of him with extreme reverence, but he’s a humble cat who’d never toot his own horn.

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DirtyPilot.com Presents: COPE2 – INFINITE Starts today – through April 14.

COPE2’s paintings have been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in galleries and auctions throughout the United States and abroad, including the Guernsey and the Philip De Pury & Company auctions, the McCaig Welles Gallery, The Showroom Gallery and The Bronx Museum of Arts in New York City; the Crewest Gallery in Los Angeles; the Fifty24SF Gallery in San Francisco; the Defiance Gallery in Chicago; the Skalitzers Gallery in Berlin; The Gallizia Collection in Paris; the Artdrenaline Gallery in Den Haag, Holland and The Federation Atrium Square Gallery in Sydney, Australia.

Cope2 was born and raised in the South Bronx, New York City, in 1968. He is a self taught artist who is a celebrated figure for over 30 years in the graffiti art culture. One of New York City’s most prolific graffiti artists, he began tagging his name in 1978. He developed his style in the subways and streets of the Bronx throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s achieving international recognition for his distinctive style.

In recent years Cope2 has been commissioned by Time Magazine and designed a set of sneakers for Converse and a full collection for Adidas. He has worked with Steiner Sports collaborating with the New York Yankees’ Derek Jeter producing graffiti on memorabilia. His work has even crossed into the virtual realm with appearances in video games such as Mark Eckos: Getting up and Rockstar Games: Grand Theft Auto IV.

Today, you can catch Cope2 in the studio painting, bringing his raw energy into abstract masterpieces, intertwined with his trademark bubble letters and tags on canvases. He has also delved into curating successful group exhibitions. Cope2 crosses between art world, mainstream and street culture alike.