BLADE
Steven D. Ogburn, American
Born in 1957
Steven D. Ogburn, better known by the pseudonym Blade, is recognized in graffiti history as the “King of Kings.” Born in 1957 in the Bronx, Blade began his journey in bombing in the early 1970s. In 1972, at just 15 years old, his friend Hondo 1 introduced him to train painting in the Bronx. He quickly adopted the pseudonym Blade, meaning “cutter blade” in English, and immersed himself in the graffiti world. He surrounded himself with the top graffiti artists of the time and founded the legendary group TC5 (The Crazy Five), specializing in painting the trains on lines 2 and 5 that connected the Bronx to Brooklyn.
Blade earned his title as “King of Kings” through his impressive record of 5,000 graffitied trains, a feat that has left a mark on New York graffiti history. In 1981, he began transitioning to studio work, gradually leaving train graffiti behind in 1984 to focus entirely on painting on canvas. This artistic shift allowed him to gain international recognition.
His style, or rather his multiple styles, is distinguished by creative letter usage, bright colors, geometric shapes, as well as characters and abstract elements. His works often evoke galactic landscapes, with constellations and shooting stars as backdrops. Blade has never sought to conform to norms, consistently reinventing his lettering. He is notably one of the pioneers of block letters and 3D letters, two techniques that have left a lasting impact on graffiti art.
«I started painting at the age of 15 in 1972 with Hondo1, Fresco, Dr. Sex, and Camaro 170. My alias (Blade) comes from the fact that I always carried a box cutter with me to work and, especially, to defend myself in case of fights with gangs. » Blade
«I started painting subways very early on; I wasn’t influenced by anyone. We learned everything as we went along. I painted my first character in November 1974. Back then, the trains weren’t too heavily guarded. I began tagging postal trucks with Chino1 in 1972, then moved on to buses and the outside of subway cars. I became interested in the interiors later. » Blade
«When I painted whole cars, I would do between 750 and 1,000 a year. What was dangerous at the time was getting hit by a train or falling from the elevated tracks and being run over by a car or truck. But for us, it was the only way we could express ourselves. » Blade
«The idea for The Walking Letters came from a dream I had in 1979. That year, I painted a piece with realistic mountains in the background; no one had done that before. When I painted the whole car The Walking Letters in 1980, I created a realistic background with cartoon-style lettering. The combination worked really well; the letters looked like they were swinging in the sky. » Blade
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EDUCATION
– Self-taught graffiti artist
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2016 - Blade: NYC King, Hausammann Gallery, Cortina, Miami, USA, (opening) September 8th.
2015 - New York in Gargano: Blade, the King of Graffiti, curated by Marta Gargiulo and Massimo Scrocca, Marina del gargano di Manfredonia (tourist harbour), Siponto, Italy, June 13th – July 12th.
2009 - BLADE: King of Graffiti. Photographs, Cards, Drawings, Publications, curated by Roger Gastman, Pijnenburg Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. (catalogue)
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021 - Nos Fantômes – exposition inaugurale, Ghost galerie, Paris, France, 10 Septembre – 20 Novembre, 2021.
2019 - We Were Here : East Coast x West Coast, Chase Contemporary. New York, USA, June 27th – July 21st .
2018 - Art from the streets, Art Science Museum, Singapore, January 13th – June 3th. - Graffiti, Vroom & Varossieau, curated by Heli Harni, Satu Oksanen and Sanna Tuulikangas. Helsinki, Finland, April 6th- September 9th . - ICONS II, Vroom & Varossieau, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, April 7th – May 8th. - City as Canvas: Graffiti Art From the Martin Wong Collection, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, USA, October 5th, 2017 – January 28th, 2018.
2017 - Francl Gallery, Cannes, France. - NYC Legends: BLADE & TRACY 168, Hausammann Gallery, Cortina, Miami, USA, (opening) August 13th. - 212 Gallery, Wynwood, Miami, USA (Art Basel). - ALL BIG LETTERS, curated by RJ Rushmore, Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery, Haverford, USA, January 20th – March 3rd. - Digard Auction House, Paris
2016 - Urban Dawn II, by art platform curator19.90, Beirut, Lebanon, October 15th – November 13th. - City as Canvas: Graffiti Art From the Martin Wong Collection, Museum of the History of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, March 18th – June 26th. (touring exhibition). - City as Canvas: Graffiti Art From the Martin Wong Collection, Amsterdam Museum. Amsterdam, The Netherlands, September 18th, 2015 – January 24, 2016. (touring exhibition).
2015 - Foggia & Manfredonia, Italy - Fuck the King, Long Live the Kings, Blade, Inkie and Shoe, Vroom & Varossieau, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. - Fuck the King, Long Live the Kings, Blande, Inkie and Shoe, Gothenburg, Sweden.
2014 - City as Canvas: Graffiti Art From the Martin Wong Collection, Museum of the City of New York, USA, February 4th – September 21st (touring exhibition) (catalogue). - Jonathan Levine Gallery, New York, USA. - Galleria Varsi, Rome, Italy.
2013 - Viborg Billboard Festival, Galleri NB, Denmark, June 1st – June 8th. - Articks Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
2012 - Adjust Gallery, Art Basel, Miami, USA, December 6th – 9th. - Speerstra Foundation (Collection Speerstra), Apples, Switzerland. - Graffiti – New York 80’s, Galerie Jérôme de Noirmont, Paris, France, May 27th – July 20th.
2011 - Group Show: Hall of Fame, Speerstra Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland, November 8th – December 12th. - Melange of Street Art Artists, Galerie Helenbeck, Nice, France, July 9th – September 10th. - Art in the Streets, MOCA, Los Angeles, USA, April 17th – August 8th. (catalogue) - Articks gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. - Gallery Vlasblom, Bergen, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. - Carmichael Gallery, Los Angeles, USA.
2010 - Gismondi Galerie, Paris, France.
2008 - Galerie Gismondi and Helenbeck Galerie, Paris, France. - Helenbeck Galerie, Paris, France.
2005 - Brooklyn Library, Brooklyn, USA. - Old School Legends, The Outside Institute, London, UK.
2004 - Down Under Tour, Auckland, New Zealand and Brisbane; Melbourne, Australia. - Blade, Cope II, Pistol, Aurora Gallery, New York, USA. - Marco Art Galerie, New York, USA.
2003 - Blade with Seen, Revolt, Chino and Pistol, Marco Art Galerie, New York, USA.
2002 - Marco Art Galerie, New York, USA.
2000 - Whitney Museum, New York, USA. - Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, USA.
1999 - Bronx Museum, New York, USA.
1998 - The Arrow, by the collective Stocktown,in conjecture with Fanclub festival, Stockholm, Sweden, July 24th – 26th. - Museum der Stadt Ratingen, Ratingen, Germany. - Blade ONE / Case 2: Return to Burn, Martinez Gallery, New York, USA, May 16th – June 27th.
1997 - Symposium, Museum of the City of New York, USA. - Wiesbaden Festival, Wiesbaden, Germany.
1996 - The Stedelijk Museum Roermond, Roermond, The Netherlands. - Drawings Show, South Of France. - Galerie City, Paris, France.
1995 - Boymans Museum, Germany. - Museum Dortmund, Germany. - Galerie Heidelberg, Germany. - Düsseldorf Festival, Germany.
1994 - Gallery Amsterdam, The Netherlands. - Castle Helmond, The Netherlands.
1993 - Museum Show, Rotterdam Museum, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. - City Gallery, Brussels, Belgium.
1992 - New York Graffiti Art : Coming from the Subway (Collection Speerstra), Groninger Museum, Groningen, The Netherlands, October 4th, 1992 – January 10th, 1993. (catalogue) - Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Den Haag, The Netherlands. - City Gallery, Milan, Italy. - Groninger Museum Show, Groninger Museum, Groningen, The Netherlands. - The Mannheimer Kunstverein, Mannheim, Germany.
1991 - Graffiti Art : Artiste américains et français 1981 / 1991(Collection Speerstra), Musée des monuments Français Paris, Paris, France. (catalogue)
1989 - Yaki Kornblit Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. - Nassauischer Kunstverein Wiesbaden, Wiesbaden, Germany. - Heidelberger Kunstverein, Heidelberg, Germany. - Helmond Museum & Art Gallery, Helmond, The Netherlands.
1988 - De Horizon Voorbij, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Den Haag, The Netherlands.
1987 - Galerie Thomas, München, Germany.
1986 - New York Graffiti, Leopold-Hoesch museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, March 9th – May 4th (catalogue). - Helmond Museum & Art Gallery, Helmond, The Netherlands.
1985 - Galerie Yaki Kornblit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. - New York Graffiti, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Den Haag, The Netherlands. - Stellweg Seguy Gallery, New York, USA. - Museum Helmond, Helmond, The Netherlands.
1984 - New York Graffiti (Collection Speerstra), Louisiana Museum, Humlebaek, Denmark, September 7th – October 7th. - Graffiti, Groninger Museum. Groningen, The Netherlands, January 14th – February 26th. (catalogue) - Galerie Yaki Kornblit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
1983 - Graffiti, Museum Boijmans, Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, October 22nd – December 4th (catalogue). - Post-Graffiti, Sidney Janis Gallery, New York, USA, December 1st – 31st. (catalogue), München, Germany. - Galerie Yaki Kornblit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
1981 - New York/ New Wave, organized by Diego Cortez, P.S.1., Institute for Art and Urban Ressources, Long Island City, USA, February 15th – April 5th.
– Self-taught graffiti artist
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2016 - Blade: NYC King, Hausammann Gallery, Cortina, Miami, USA, (opening) September 8th.
2015 - New York in Gargano: Blade, the King of Graffiti, curated by Marta Gargiulo and Massimo Scrocca, Marina del gargano di Manfredonia (tourist harbour), Siponto, Italy, June 13th – July 12th.
2009 - BLADE: King of Graffiti. Photographs, Cards, Drawings, Publications, curated by Roger Gastman, Pijnenburg Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. (catalogue)
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021 - Nos Fantômes – exposition inaugurale, Ghost galerie, Paris, France, 10 Septembre – 20 Novembre, 2021.
2019 - We Were Here : East Coast x West Coast, Chase Contemporary. New York, USA, June 27th – July 21st .
2018 - Art from the streets, Art Science Museum, Singapore, January 13th – June 3th. - Graffiti, Vroom & Varossieau, curated by Heli Harni, Satu Oksanen and Sanna Tuulikangas. Helsinki, Finland, April 6th- September 9th . - ICONS II, Vroom & Varossieau, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, April 7th – May 8th. - City as Canvas: Graffiti Art From the Martin Wong Collection, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, USA, October 5th, 2017 – January 28th, 2018.
2017 - Francl Gallery, Cannes, France. - NYC Legends: BLADE & TRACY 168, Hausammann Gallery, Cortina, Miami, USA, (opening) August 13th. - 212 Gallery, Wynwood, Miami, USA (Art Basel). - ALL BIG LETTERS, curated by RJ Rushmore, Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery, Haverford, USA, January 20th – March 3rd. - Digard Auction House, Paris
2016 - Urban Dawn II, by art platform curator19.90, Beirut, Lebanon, October 15th – November 13th. - City as Canvas: Graffiti Art From the Martin Wong Collection, Museum of the History of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, March 18th – June 26th. (touring exhibition). - City as Canvas: Graffiti Art From the Martin Wong Collection, Amsterdam Museum. Amsterdam, The Netherlands, September 18th, 2015 – January 24, 2016. (touring exhibition).
2015 - Foggia & Manfredonia, Italy - Fuck the King, Long Live the Kings, Blade, Inkie and Shoe, Vroom & Varossieau, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. - Fuck the King, Long Live the Kings, Blande, Inkie and Shoe, Gothenburg, Sweden.
2014 - City as Canvas: Graffiti Art From the Martin Wong Collection, Museum of the City of New York, USA, February 4th – September 21st (touring exhibition) (catalogue). - Jonathan Levine Gallery, New York, USA. - Galleria Varsi, Rome, Italy.
2013 - Viborg Billboard Festival, Galleri NB, Denmark, June 1st – June 8th. - Articks Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
2012 - Adjust Gallery, Art Basel, Miami, USA, December 6th – 9th. - Speerstra Foundation (Collection Speerstra), Apples, Switzerland. - Graffiti – New York 80’s, Galerie Jérôme de Noirmont, Paris, France, May 27th – July 20th.
2011 - Group Show: Hall of Fame, Speerstra Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland, November 8th – December 12th. - Melange of Street Art Artists, Galerie Helenbeck, Nice, France, July 9th – September 10th. - Art in the Streets, MOCA, Los Angeles, USA, April 17th – August 8th. (catalogue) - Articks gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. - Gallery Vlasblom, Bergen, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. - Carmichael Gallery, Los Angeles, USA.
2010 - Gismondi Galerie, Paris, France.
2008 - Galerie Gismondi and Helenbeck Galerie, Paris, France. - Helenbeck Galerie, Paris, France.
2005 - Brooklyn Library, Brooklyn, USA. - Old School Legends, The Outside Institute, London, UK.
2004 - Down Under Tour, Auckland, New Zealand and Brisbane; Melbourne, Australia. - Blade, Cope II, Pistol, Aurora Gallery, New York, USA. - Marco Art Galerie, New York, USA.
2003 - Blade with Seen, Revolt, Chino and Pistol, Marco Art Galerie, New York, USA.
2002 - Marco Art Galerie, New York, USA.
2000 - Whitney Museum, New York, USA. - Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, USA.
1999 - Bronx Museum, New York, USA.
1998 - The Arrow, by the collective Stocktown,in conjecture with Fanclub festival, Stockholm, Sweden, July 24th – 26th. - Museum der Stadt Ratingen, Ratingen, Germany. - Blade ONE / Case 2: Return to Burn, Martinez Gallery, New York, USA, May 16th – June 27th.
1997 - Symposium, Museum of the City of New York, USA. - Wiesbaden Festival, Wiesbaden, Germany.
1996 - The Stedelijk Museum Roermond, Roermond, The Netherlands. - Drawings Show, South Of France. - Galerie City, Paris, France.
1995 - Boymans Museum, Germany. - Museum Dortmund, Germany. - Galerie Heidelberg, Germany. - Düsseldorf Festival, Germany.
1994 - Gallery Amsterdam, The Netherlands. - Castle Helmond, The Netherlands.
1993 - Museum Show, Rotterdam Museum, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. - City Gallery, Brussels, Belgium.
1992 - New York Graffiti Art : Coming from the Subway (Collection Speerstra), Groninger Museum, Groningen, The Netherlands, October 4th, 1992 – January 10th, 1993. (catalogue) - Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Den Haag, The Netherlands. - City Gallery, Milan, Italy. - Groninger Museum Show, Groninger Museum, Groningen, The Netherlands. - The Mannheimer Kunstverein, Mannheim, Germany.
1991 - Graffiti Art : Artiste américains et français 1981 / 1991(Collection Speerstra), Musée des monuments Français Paris, Paris, France. (catalogue)
1989 - Yaki Kornblit Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. - Nassauischer Kunstverein Wiesbaden, Wiesbaden, Germany. - Heidelberger Kunstverein, Heidelberg, Germany. - Helmond Museum & Art Gallery, Helmond, The Netherlands.
1988 - De Horizon Voorbij, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Den Haag, The Netherlands.
1987 - Galerie Thomas, München, Germany.
1986 - New York Graffiti, Leopold-Hoesch museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, March 9th – May 4th (catalogue). - Helmond Museum & Art Gallery, Helmond, The Netherlands.
1985 - Galerie Yaki Kornblit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. - New York Graffiti, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Den Haag, The Netherlands. - Stellweg Seguy Gallery, New York, USA. - Museum Helmond, Helmond, The Netherlands.
1984 - New York Graffiti (Collection Speerstra), Louisiana Museum, Humlebaek, Denmark, September 7th – October 7th. - Graffiti, Groninger Museum. Groningen, The Netherlands, January 14th – February 26th. (catalogue) - Galerie Yaki Kornblit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
1983 - Graffiti, Museum Boijmans, Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, October 22nd – December 4th (catalogue). - Post-Graffiti, Sidney Janis Gallery, New York, USA, December 1st – 31st. (catalogue), München, Germany. - Galerie Yaki Kornblit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
1981 - New York/ New Wave, organized by Diego Cortez, P.S.1., Institute for Art and Urban Ressources, Long Island City, USA, February 15th – April 5th.
EPOCHAL VISIONS: AN EXHAUSTIVE CHRONICLE OF WORKS BELONGING OR HAVING BELONGED TO THE GALLERY’S COLLECTIONS
