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until 29.11. | #4524ARTatBerlin | Luisa Catucci Gallery (Brunnenstraße) presents from 29. November 2024 the exhibition TAKE IT EASY of the artists Gregory de la Haba and Easy.
Gregory de la Haba is a renowned painter and sculptor who was born and raised in New York City. He is known for his vibrant artwork that seamlessly blends elements of fine art and street culture with a foundation of traditional artistic research. His creative journey is heavily influenced by his life in the city, which he describes as a constant source of inspiration. de la Haba uses the energy and rich cultural history of New York and the urban landscape as a constant backdrop for his artistic expression.
This dynamic interaction between the chaotic yet captivating environment of city life combined with a sharp artistic vision fuels his exploration of themes related to hope, resilience and the human condition. With sweeping, freehand gestures and bold splashes of colour, de la Haba vividly negotiates the relationship between nature, poetry and form. His works exude a remarkable energy and depth of colour, drawing on the legacy of famous masters such as Mark Rothko, whose influence has left an indelible mark on de la Haba’s approach to composition and emotional resonance. The colour palette he chooses is often intense, dynamic and sometimes fearless in its boldness, evoking feelings of hope and vitality while encouraging the viewer to reflect on the concept of optimism even in the face of uncertainty and disorder.
Photography is also an essential part of Gregory de la Haba’s creative process. From his extensive archive, de la Haba selects documentary-style photographs taken on the streets of New York, often depicting historic sites at the centre of the city’s cultural life. These images serve as a dynamic backdrop for his canvases, enriching his work with layers of urban history and social context. By interweaving photography and painting, he creates compositions that reflect the energy and pulse of the city, combining the ephemeral nature of street scenes with the more permanent medium of fine art.
Easy is one of the most recognisable figures of the New York graffiti and street art scene, known for his distinctive writing style that has had a lasting impact on the urban environment. Easy was introduced to the graffiti scene in the early 1980s by his cousin, the infamous Josh 5. During this time, Easy engaged in the infamous ‘Chalkboard Battles’ with Keith Haring in the MTA underground stations. While Easy applied his iconic tags, Haring drew his famous figures and both battled to see who could cover all the MTA boards first.
Along with Josh 5 and Joz, Easy began painting hundreds of trains on the city’s underground lines before taking their aerosol practice to the streets and the buildings that lined those streets. They created a historic street movement that influenced graffiti writers and street artists for decades. Easy’s tag became the blueprint for an iconic hand lettering style. His confident, energetic lettering captures the pulse of a city that is constantly on the move – no doubt about it. Yet his approach and modus operandi – stealthy and clandestine – remain true to and deeply rooted in the underground forces of the city from which Grafitti emerged.
His tags – which can be seen in all five boroughs of the city – are more than just a sign of presence; they embody the rebellious energy and creative vibrancy of the streets and serve as a form of dialogue with the city and its inhabitants. As Easy has explained, ‘My art is about beautifying the inner city neighbourhoods that have always been in desperate need of some beauty.’ In doing so, Easy challenges the traditional hierarchies of artistic value and legitimacy, positioning street art as a crucial and dynamic element of contemporary artistic discourse.
Vernissage: Thursday, 28 November 2024, 6:00 – 9:00 pm
Exhibition dates: Friday, 29 November 2024 – Saturday, 11 January 2025
To the gallery
Image above: TAKE IT EASY, Courtesy of Luisa Catucci Gallery
Exhibition TAKE IT EASY – Luisa Catucci Gallery | Zeitgenössische Kunst Berlin – Contemporary Art – Exhibitions Berlin Galerien | ART at Berlin
