IZ THE WIZ: THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME!!

[*TOPTACO]

taken from http://www.subwayoutlaws.com/
http://www.elimin8.net/cpr/687w9_Picture3.jpg

[STYLEISKING]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v47/styleisking/864fgghjy6.jpg

[TOMMY GIBBS]

IZ THE WIZ-REST IN PAINT..........

[BloodyWishes]

Rest in Peace

[ANGELDUST]

iz was a real nice guy (yall already know that). he put me on a bunch of knowledge about how shit was...i remember him as an important figure in my childhood when we worked at the phun phactory. i will miss him. im glad i got a chance to talk to him again not too long ago after years of not. rest in power, mike.

[King Ku]

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u246/simplysnappinnecks/izthewizrip.jpg


R.I.P. IZ THE WIZ
by CAVS..TMB..SV..

[once upon a crime]

r.i.p.

[Judge Schmails]

thanks for the inspiration RIP

[happyvegan]

In today's NY Times...


Michael Martin, Subway Graffiti Artist Iz the Wiz, Is Dead at 50
Iz The WizMichael Martin, known as Iz the Wiz, was a prolific embellisher of New York subway cars, including this one painted in 1982.

WILLIAM GRIMES
Published: June 29, 2009
In the 1970s and ’80s, chances were good that anyone traveling the New York subways rode at least once in a car emblazoned with “Iz the Wiz.” Cryptic but euphonious, often abbreviated to the ultraminimal Iz, the signature could be seen all over the subway system: fat capital letters spray-painted on a door, below a window, across an entire car or even along the full length of a train.

Don Hogan Charles/The New York Times
Mr. Martin in 1982. His signature was inspired by a poster for the musical “The Wiz.”
Iz the Wiz was a legend among graffiti artists, by almost all accounts “the longest-reigning all-city king in N.Y.C. history,” as the graffiti Web site at149st.com puts it. In other words, Iz put his name, or tag, on subway cars running on every line in the system more times than any other artist.

Michael Martin — Iz the Wiz — died on June 17 in Spring Hill, Fla., where he had moved a few years ago. He was 50. The cause was a heart attack, said Ed Walker, who is working on a biography and documentary of Iz the Wiz.

“Look at any movie shot on location in New York from the late 1970s to the early 1980s, and you will very likely see an Iz tag,” Mr. Walker said. “He told me once that in 1982 he went out every night and did at least a hundred throw-ups” — letters filled in quickly with a thin layer of color. “People can’t fathom it.”

Not everyone was appreciative. His career put him on the wrong side of the law — he was issued summonses on several occasions — and of New Yorkers who regarded graffiti as vandalism, not art. But he was a hero to generations of taggers. Mr. Martin started out spraying graffiti on walls and buildings when he was 14, using the tags Scat or FCN, for French Canadian National, although he was not Canadian. He soon graduated to subway cars, specializing in the A line, the longest in the New York subway system. He painted his first cars with the tag Ike — his nickname, Mike, minus the first letter.

In 1975, in the 68th Street Station of the Lexington Avenue line, he saw a poster for the Broadway play “The Wiz” with the slogan, “The Wiz Is a Wow.” It had a certain ring. “He said, ‘If the Wiz is a Wow, why can’t Iz be the Wiz?’ ” his friend and fellow graffiti artist SAR (real name, Charles Sar) recalled in a telephone interview last week.

With the graffiti artist Vinny, Mr. Martin mounted an intensive throw-up campaign on the A line. In the late 1970s he branched out to other lines, spray-painting top-to-bottoms (graffiti displays extending from the top of a train to the bottom), burners (complicated works intended to dazzle the competition) and fully realized scenes, like his homage to John Lennon, painted after Lennon was shot to death in 1980. It was a two-car scene with a portrait of Lennon and a graveyard filled with tombstones.

“He was an artist, but also a bomber, recognized as a person who made himself seen by everybody,” said the photographer Henry Chalfant, using the graffiti term for a prolific artist. “At the same time he appreciated the aesthetic side of it. He didn’t do wild style” — complex, interlocking letters — “he had a simple, readable style with great color and interesting forms within the lettering itself.”

With the photographer Martha Cooper, Mr. Chalfant published “Subway Art” (1984), recently reissued by Chronicle Books, and made the documentary film “Style Wars” (1983), which included Mr. Martin in its portraits of graffiti and hip-hop artists. He also appeared in the role of a transit police detective in the cult 1983 film “Wild Style.”

Mr. Martin was born in Manhattan and lived in a succession of foster homes after his mother was imprisoned for burglary. He did not know his father. He grew up in Ozone Park, Queens, and as a teenager lived in Covenant House on the Lower East Side.

Like many others, he found a community in the graffiti movement. Early on he worked with artists like Vinny, Epic 1&2, and Evil 13. Later he painted with many of the top crews, or graffiti collectives, in New York, including the Odd Partners, the Crew and the Three Yard Boys. At one point he was president of the Master Blasters and the Queens chapter of the Prisoners of Graffiti.

When the graffiti artist Spar One, interviewing Mr. Martin for at149st.com in 1995, asked how many complete cars he had decorated (“You mean like burner top-to-bottom jammies?” he asked), he said: “Oh, I don’t know, I never counted. But I know in the years ’81 to ’82 I did no less than 25.” Mr. Martin often added snippets from classic rock lyrics to his tags, like “whole lotta love” or “welcome to the machine,” which became the informal titles for his more famous works.

The displays enjoyed surprising longevity in the days before the Metropolitan Transportation Authority began cracking down on graffiti. Elaborately painted cars could run for months or even years. Artists would often gather at certain stations to watch their work and keep an eye on the competition, much like their counterparts did in 15th-century Florence.

Mr. Martin withdrew from the scene in the mid-1980s. He managed a grocery store briefly, then began using drugs heavily. A marriage in the late 1980s ended in divorce. He is survived by a brother, Peter Poston of Spring Hill, and a sister, Evelyn Poston of East Stroudsburg, Pa.

In the 1990s Mr. Martin jumped back into graffiti, painting cars, but also taking part in the legal graffiti movement, expressing himself on walls set aside for the purpose. He was one of the first artists to work on the Phun Phactory, a 200,000-square-foot industrial building in Long Island City, Queens, that artists began covering with graffiti in 1993. It is now known as the 5 Pointz Aerosol Art Center, or the Institute of Higher Burnin’.

Mr. Martin learned he had kidney failure in 1996, which he assumed was a result of working with aerosol paint, and for the rest of his life he was on dialysis. His financial situation was dire. “He never made the connections he needed to make to be appreciated in the art world,” Mr. Sar said.

Iz the Wiz sought fame, and found it, but not on gallery walls. His work appeared on the old dusty brown subway cars known as coal mines, and their replacements, called ding dongs for the bell tone that chimes when the doors close. Painting one of those, end to end, Mr. Martin once said, “was like sex in a can.”

[UNH.Sunk]

Rest easy old timer.

[ghost of graffiti past]

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/06/29/arts/design/29martin_subspan.jpg

[ghost of graffiti past]

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/06/29/arts/design/29martin3_190.jpg

Iz the Wiz sought fame, and found it, but not on gallery walls. His work appeared on the old dusty brown subway cars known as coal mines, and their replacements, called ding dongs for the bell tone that chimes when the doors close. Painting one of those, end to end, Mr. Martin once said, “was like sex in a can.”

[ruben205.]

Rest In Power. Always a legend.

[11372]

Great Article posted above- Respect due!!! A Legend can finally Rest ........

[goodtimes105]

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/96/l_b0faa686373840719906558655945c8f.jpg
all the way in sunny hawaii. by Quest BS EV

[oniongrilla]

rest in peace brother

[abcs]

much appreciation...for me it goes past a decade. Iz a legend and learning of his passing got me way down. It goes without saying but i'll say it regardless. The vapors that come out of the can are bad for the health. Your kidneys are really not equipt to filter out what does not make it on the wall. In closed areas try to protect yourself. RIP

[hahaha760]

R.I.P.

[*TOPTACO]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3560/3674632546_ae055e8167.jpg?v=0

photo LINZ

[PAGE ONE]

IDEEE - MIKE327 BY IZ

[brokenfone23]

Gradient Magazine (http://www.gradientmagazine.com/thegradient/2009/07/our-iz-the-wiz/)




http://www.gradientmagazine.com/thegradient/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/iz-da-wiz-piece-1.jpg (http://www.gradientmagazine.com/thegradient/2009/07/our-iz-the-wiz/)

http://www.gradientmagazine.com/thegradient/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/iz-da-wiz-piece-2.jpg (http://www.gradientmagazine.com/thegradient/2009/07/our-iz-the-wiz/)

[EPMDfan]

Here is the link to another obit on IZ in another newspaper...

http://www.tampabay.com/news/obituaries/article1015521.ece

[ghost of graffiti past]

http://www.tampabay.com/multimedia/archive/00074/b4s_izc070309_74862d.jpg

[STYLEISKING]

http://i43.tinypic.com/sqrzic.jpg

[Foreign Wips n Fat Cribs]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3573/3642478178_936813a6bb_b.jpg

[TinCan]

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/2970/graff7609005.jpg (http://img29.imageshack.us/i/graff7609005.jpg/)
Saw this in Philly today...

[EPMDfan]

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/2970/graff7609005.jpg (http://img29.imageshack.us/i/graff7609005.jpg/)
Saw this in Philly today...

If anyone knows who painted this please email me at ed@izthewiz.com I'd like to get good flicks of it to use in IZ's book in the tribute section... thanks!!!!

[sketchbag]

cense did that

[STYLEISKING]

http://i43.tinypic.com/2mhiozk.jpg

[happyvegan]

Those are fantastic tributes !! Many more to come...

[bananahammock]

http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo354/19882008_2008/romamilano_385.jpg
rome subway

[tj.]

saw this on ironlaks website, sad news

[=FANGS=]

aw man.. RIP the IZ the WIZ

[Jose Cuervo]

Rest In Peace. A true King and inspiration to many.

[EPMDfan]

http://www.12ozprophet.com/images/uploads/cache/iz_the_wiz_rip-600x800.jpg

[ILOTSMYBRAIN]

Nice tat.

RIP IZ.

[soggycereal]

THIS IS IT!
THIS IS IT!


rip

[DocOne]

RIP TRUE KING

[happyvegan]

Rest in peace all-time NYC subway king IZ THE WIZ !!!

[ghost of graffiti past]

respect as always..

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2563/3736490791_60c597f46b.jpg

[earthquakerisk]

IZ THE WIZ DONT STOP THE BOMB a tribute in crome by amp syndicate nottingham uk this was done the day after IZ passed away .... huge you can see this for miles

http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cruel103/izthewizdontstopthebomb.jpg?t=1248202724

THIS IS IT IZ THE WIZ TRIBUTE WALL by TAX106 CRUEL103 SILLE BREF amp syndicate

http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cruel103/ripizthewizcruel103tax106sillebrefa.jpg?t=12482036 07

CRUEL103 amp syndicate nottingham part of the this is it IZ THE WIZ tribute wall by AMP SYNDICATE

http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae195/cruel103/izthewizrestinpeace21stjune2009031.jpg?t=124820372 6

[cham]

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs192.snc1/6451_1133852540560_1054680028_30406610_5234062_n.j pg

rest in paradise Iz the Wiz

[EPMDfan]

Another write up from the NY Times this week...

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/20/a-subway-graffiti-artists-last-work-in-the-bronx/

[bemflix]

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z63/heckstar/izthewiziszzy.jpg



classic

[riffmasta]

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z63/heckstar/izthewiziszzy.jpg



classic
sweet

[Rezon NY shity]

rest in peace master blaster

[happyvegan]

Looks like some nice uni action, he got great play in The Warriors. Thanks for the link epmd.

[EPMDfan]

saw this on the NY thread thought I would add it here...

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a150/Dutchmasterofny/CIMG2580.jpg

[Zed_Eastwood]

great addition - EPMD. that warriors grab is wayyyy dope..

[happyvegan]

This morning I was skimming through my copy of "Taking The Train" by Joe Austin, and spotted a nice classic IKE running on the subways in the mid-70's, on page 117.

[EPMDfan]

IZ made it in Time again... I know he's looking down smiling!!!

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1911799_1912678,00.html

[Cracked Ass]

Bump! Keep those tributes coming. If there was ever a dude to dedicate a little time and paint to, for those who love the game, Mike Martin is the man.

[bananahammock]

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa288/evacone/IMG01111.jpg

[happyvegan]

Nice truck tribute !

[MellowYellow]

http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp158/Dizanny/MythIZm.jpg
mythIZm (Myth Vts Wcb Ba)

[EPMDfan]

Dope tributes... the truck looks like Cope?

[EPMDfan]

Some of you might want to go check out the thread I started on IZ. It has tons of photos and I'll be adding more in the next few days... you can get to it here...

http://www.12ozprophet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130720

[procitymovement]

Indeed, RIP brother.


PROCITYMOVEMENT@GMAIL!

[happyvegan]

Nice work MYTH !!

[ajax]

mythizm iz on point!

[EPMDfan]

Stolen from the NY thread... Nice spot at 5ptz so it can be seen from the train...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2563/3710362938_8202e3ff34.jpg

[STYLEISKING]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2540/3799186973_eb8146b071_o.jpg

[.:deuce:.]

rest in peace man i remember hearing about this fool before i even knew about the game

[Zed_Eastwood]

that Key is insane. IZ THE WIZ FOREVER!

[cheesburger]

R.I.P IZ THE WIZZ TRUE LEGEND. RESPECT

[Visualpollution]

Saw these tribute t-shirts online:

http://behance.vo.llnwd.net/profiles4/96009/projects/272122/960091250180864.jpg

[happyvegan]

How does one acquire a shirt, who is putting them out ?

[EPMDfan]

Yeah where did you see that at???

[Visualpollution]

dunno, here's the link (http://www.behance.net/Gallery/IZ-THE-WIZ-tribute-shirt/272122)
but it's a non commercial project. So if you really want those tees, you should contact the artist. :o

[EPMDfan]

^^^ Thanks....

On a side note here's a little something I had to get for my boy.... :king:

Compliments of Ces at Tuff City in the Bronx!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/metalmaned/DSC00168.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/metalmaned/DSC00167-2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/metalmaned/DSC00169.jpg

[happyvegan]

That came out excellent !

[ghost of graffiti past]

http://morrisparkcrew.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/img_1909.jpg

[ghost of graffiti past]

http://morrisparkcrew.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/bcooperiz03-600x193.jpg

[Komik]

Key should back into fr8s.That IZ shirt is was up.It doesn't say how order it.

[Zed_Eastwood]

i wonder if the character in Mad Max beyond thunderdome "The Master Blaster" was inspired by IZ the Wiz...

[riffmasta]

^^^ Thanks....

On a side note here's a little something I had to get for my boy.... :king:

Compliments of Ces at Tuff City in the Bronx!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/metalmaned/DSC00168.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/metalmaned/DSC00167-2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/metalmaned/DSC00169.jpg
nice work

[EPMDfan]

Found this in the NY thread... A nice tribute to the King of Kings...

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c101/bkseven20/iz.gif

[STYLEISKING]

http://i43.tinypic.com/2mhiozk.jpg

[STYLEISKING]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3477/3937887892_c298ae0e50_o.jpg
by vision paris

[Zed_Eastwood]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2562/3961798941_2e415978ff.jpg

[EPMDfan]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3477/3937887892_c298ae0e50_o.jpg
by vision paris

Style... Can you get me a high res image of this joint? :D

[ghost of graffiti past]

http://gallery.saster.net/sgallery/albums/userpics/10787/CIMG0875.JPG

[ghost of graffiti past]

http://gallery.saster.net/sgallery/albums/userpics/10787/CIMG0617.JPG

[Zed_Eastwood]

Check out the IZzard~

http://images.nycsubway.org/i93000/img_93037.jpg

[theme16ciatop]

My Respects For The King!!!!

REST IN PEACE

[fortress maximus]

on the late and also great OILER EP DTT WGE

http://www.12ozprophet.com/images/uploads/cache/iz_the_wiz_rip-600x800.jpg

[EPMDfan]

Check out the IZzard~

http://images.nycsubway.org/i93000/img_93037.jpg

Great Flick Zed... I've NEVER seen him do that before or since... In fact I can;t recall ever seeing a T2B on the front of the train before, LOL

[ghost of graffiti past]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2421/3726919448_2595eb7c2e_o.jpg

[Komik]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqS74AreqHs

[EPMDfan]

Happy Birthday Mikey!!!! We miss you a lot!!!! I hope you and Dondi and Caine are doing whole cars right now!!!!

[Tigre del norte]

Happy Birthday Mikey!!!! We miss you a lot!!!! I hope you and Dondi and Caine are doing whole cars right now!!!!

or doing throwies with Oiler and Alot17.....riparadise

[Zed_Eastwood]

knowing IZ, he is doing all of the above and then some insides too..

[bananahammock]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2596/3672632722_9fbef8a035.jpg

[Zed_Eastwood]

model trains too...
http://www.sunsetwestproductions.com/dti9503.jpg

[Tigre del norte]

happy new year

[fr8slayer]

Longl iiveth Crazy IKE!!!!!

[mikeBX]

^^^ Thanks....

On a side note here's a little something I had to get for my boy.... :king:

Compliments of Ces at Tuff City in the Bronx!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/metalmaned/DSC00168.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/metalmaned/DSC00167-2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/metalmaned/DSC00169.jpg

this shit is hard

[gray matter]

http://i46.tinypic.com/10p6dk7.jpg

[happyvegan]

When will the IZ book be coming out ??

[EPMDfan]

When will the IZ book be coming out ??

If all goes as planned the book and film will be out summer 2011... ;)

[happyvegan]

Can't wait ! We're already planning a 1 year aniv. gathering for June, the least we can do to honor the king and his lifetime of dedication to the writing culture.

[EPMDfan]

Can't wait ! We're already planning a 1 year aniv. gathering for June, the least we can do to honor the king and his lifetime of dedication to the writing culture.

Who is "we" and where at? I am going to be in NY for the anniversary of his death and I am planning a few things as well. ;)

[STYLEISKING]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2728/4259087575_c825ba1b17_o.jpg

[fr8slayer]

That Izzy iz bangin,,,
Great piece and of course its on steel..
Big ups
MADCLOUT

[happyvegan]

I'll pm you with details epmd.

[EPMDfan]

^^^ do that!!!! =)

[IllSkillet]

http://www.threat-mag.com/izthewiz.jpg
R.I.P

[some1dublin]

Rest in Peace:(/COLOR]

[*TOPTACO]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/4377227335_8e016f82f8_b.jpg

[P3ZS]

dude was fucking great

[Zed_Eastwood]

That Izzy iz bangin,,,

co-signed.

IZ Forever!

[EPMDfan]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/4377227335_8e016f82f8_b.jpg
Is this your flick Top?

[Cult 50]

He was a true king..R.I.P...

[Europe]

Kaos VIM painted this Stockholm subway car in memory of Iz...

Hell Iz For Children

http://www.ilovegraffiti.de/kaos/files/2010/03/hell_iz_for_children_stockholm_subway-1024x161.jpg

Via Kaos blog:
http://www.ilovegraffiti.de/kaos/

[bemflix]

had to back door the website but here it is

http://www.ilovegraffiti.de/vim/files/2010/03/hell_iz_for_children_stockholm_subway-1024x161.jpg

[*TOPTACO]

Is this your flick Top?

yes....caught about a week ago

[*TOPTACO]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2775/4401122846_f15c21d036_o.jpg

[smashed tangerine]

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/6183/izlondon.jpg (http://img535.imageshack.us/i/izlondon.jpg/)

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/1289/izdaniel.jpg (http://img6.imageshack.us/i/izdaniel.jpg/)

London 1992

Not my photos. From AllCityLondon on Flickr.

[Europe]

http://vizie.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/dsc04318.jpg?w=720&h=540
Via http://vizieone.com/category/blog/

[Zed_Eastwood]

i dont have the flik but IZ on page 83 of the Part book.

[BrooklynBound]

IZ forever and ever!!!!!! RIP homey

[BrooklynBound]

http://i44.tinypic.com/qq4n4y.jpg

[BrooklynBound]

http://i41.tinypic.com/sfwbvn.jpg

[fr8slayer]

The scotty can of RUSTO AVOCADO..
Yeah Yerrrr
Long Liveth The King of Kings..

[guuuuuuuu]

IZZY DEDICATION PIECE IS OFF THE CHARTS...IZ THE WIZ FOREVER.

[EPMDfan]

The scotty can of RUSTO AVOCADO..
Yeah Yerrrr
Long Liveth The King of Kings..

It's actually a can of Fire Hydrant Red, the green cap is from a Lime Green Speedy Dry which is what he used for the highlight on the IZ behind him and the fill on that is Rusto Fed Purple... :D

[EPMDfan]

i dont have the flik but IZ on page 83 of the Part book.

And his partner CY/Caz2 on the other end of the car. ;)