Today: Bates and Niels Bjorndahl “Appreciation for Letters” at Maquis-Art in Paris

Bates and Niels Bjorndahl first met in 1984 when the graffiti scene was still in its infancy in Denmark. They became fast friends and ran together through 1986 when Bjorndahl was forced to put an end to his graffiti career due to numerous run-ins with the local authorities. Bjorndahl then changed his focus to abstract art while Bates continued on with graffiti.

In 2009 the two met again and started exchanging ideas and creative inputs. In the fall of 2011 they decided to try to work on some canvases together, merging abstract art and graffiti in a new style. The result became a number of pieces where the artists experiment with different color dogmas and unusual types of canvases. The first selection will be showcased at the exhibition ‘Appreciation for Letters’ in Paris in the spring of 2012 in collaboration with Maquis-Art. Scroll down to check out a small sampling of some of their collaborative works…

Among the experiments, one series very much defines the show ‘Appreciation for Letters’, namely the ‘Typograffiti’ pieces where each canvas represents a specially selected font, which has then been spray painted onto the canvases by hand without the use of stencils. This intricate technique and focus on the very basics of letters defines some of the purest form of graffiti that exists: Strong letter structures that move and bend with a good flow.

The official opening for “Appreciation for Letters” is TODAY May 15th, 2012 from 11am - 8pm.

Maquis-Art Shop and Gallery
42, rue Quincampoix
75004 Paris