BLADE- Steven Ogburn

Untitled Graffiti Original Spray Paint Marker Painting by BLADE- Steven Ogburn One of a Kind Artwork on Bristol Fine Art Paper by Street Art Pop Artist. 2022 Signed & Dated Spray Paint & Marker Painting Original Artwork Size 14x11. Soft crease to the middle as received from the artist. Steven Ogburn, more renowned by his moniker "BLADE", remains a luminary figure in the evolving landscape of graffiti art. His latest masterpiece, an untitled spray paint and marker painting, seamlessly marries the aesthetics of street art with pop culture nuances. Executed on Bristol Fine Art Paper, this work resonates with BLADE's signature vibrancy and unrestrained creativity, a testament to his enduring legacy in the graffiti world. The audacious color palette, punctuated with bold typography and whimsical motifs, creates an engaging visual narrative characteristic of the iconic style that has earned BLADE international acclaim. Crafted in 2022, this piece captures the zeitgeist of contemporary street art, drawing viewers into a vivid tapestry of urban expressionism. Every inch of the canvas exudes BLADE's mastery, from the intricate layering of spray paint to the meticulous detailing with markers. A subtle soft crease running through the middle stands as a mark of authenticity, a characteristic trait received directly from the artist. Such raw imperfections enhance the allure, reminding us of the spontaneous spirit that underpins graffiti culture. In a world where street art continues to break barriers, challenging traditional artistic norms, BLADE's recent artwork is a radiant beacon of the genre's evolution. Both enthusiasts and novices will be captivated by the artwork's depth, reveling in the dynamic fusion of pop art motifs and raw street aesthetics. It is a symbolic representation of BLADE's contribution to an art movement that continually redefines itself, pushing boundaries with every spray and stroke. Steven Ogburn, better known as BLADE, is one of the most influential graffiti artists in the world. Rising to prominence in the New York City subway art movement of the 1970s, BLADE painted an estimated 5,000 trains, earning him the title "King of Trains." His work is characterized by vibrant color palettes, intricate lettering, and bold graphic designs. With a career spanning over five decades, BLADE has transitioned from urban environments to the global art scene, exhibiting his work in galleries worldwide while continuing to inspire new generations of street artists.

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Walking Tall Original Acrylic Spray Paint Marker Painting by BLADE- Steven Ogburn One of a Kind Artwork on MTA NYC Subway Map by Street Art Pop Artist. 2011 Signed Acrylic, Spray Paint & Paint Marker Painting Original Artwork Size 32x23 on Reclaimed NYC Transit Subway Map. Walking Tall on the Tracks of History Created in 2011 by New York graffiti legend BLADE, born Steven Ogburn, Walking Tall is a standout one-of-a-kind painting that encapsulates the grit and pride of subway graffiti culture. Executed on a reclaimed MTA NYC Subway Map, this 32 by 23 inch mixed media piece is a raw fusion of acrylic, spray paint, and paint marker that brings to life the aesthetics of the early 1970s graffiti boom while echoing the artist’s unmistakable handstyle. It is both a throwback to BLADE's reign over the NYC subway system and a reflection of his continued presence as a living force in the evolution of Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork. The use of an actual subway map as a canvas is symbolic and literal—a surface that once served as his open-air gallery is transformed into collectible fine art. Subway Trains Reimagined on Paper BLADE’s Walking Tall centers on a stylized train car with an abstract letter fill, where traditional graffiti writing techniques meet geometric expression and iconography. The upper portion of the map features the minimal render of a silver subway car, as if peeking above a black cloud—a direct nod to the iconic whole-car takeovers of the past. The bottom third explodes with stylized green and yellow letters on a textured spray-painted background, complete with stars, lines, and symbols that have become identifiers of BLADE’s visual language. Each panel section bursts with controlled chaos, symbolizing both the movement of trains and the relentless momentum of the graffiti movement itself. This format reinforces the context in which the artist made his name—among the motion, dirt, and noise of a working urban infrastructure. The Personal Markings of a King Walking Tall is more than a graffiti piece—it is a statement of longevity and authorship. Above the stylized train, BLADE tags himself and his original crew, The Crazy 5, anchoring this work in the foundational lore of New York graffiti history. The inclusion of his classic elements such as arrows, shapes, and three-dimensional tricks is not just decorative but deeply personal. These components serve as narrative cues to an era when tagging trains was as much a cultural revolution as it was an artistic one. BLADE’s decision to layer his work atop an official MTA map adds yet another level of engagement—fusing outlaw history with institutional cartography. Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork with Institutional Impact As with much of BLADE’s gallery work, Walking Tall maintains the ethos of the street while recontextualizing graffiti into the domain of contemporary fine art. The result is a hybrid visual experience: high art with a raw edge, refined technique with street spontaneity. This piece belongs to a broader trajectory in which subway-born artists have made the leap from anonymous fame to documented, signed, and archived works. It reflects a career rooted in authentic urban storytelling, now preserved in permanent collections and museums around the world. Walking Tall is not nostalgia—it is survival, expression, and style, captured on a map that once guided the very trains he transformed into rolling canvases.

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