Al Diaz Artist
Al Díaz’s career spans five decades. Born and raised Puerto Rican in New York City, by age 15 he was an influential first-generation subway graffiti artist known as “BOMB-ONE.”
His friendship and artistic collaboration with high school schoolmate Jean-Michel Basquiat on SAMO©, (a late 70s Avant-garde graffiti tag project) has been noted often in contemporary art history. Díaz later contributed percussion to numerous musical recordings and performances, including Basquiat’s historic 1983 record, “Beat Bop,” (considered to be one of the earliest hip-hop albums).
Díaz currently resides in Brooklyn. He has authored multiple books including SAMO©...SINCE 1978 and CITY OF KINGS: A History of NYC Graffiti chronicling the history of graffiti’s genesis in New York from its late 1960s origin to the present, as seen through the lens of writers who started the movement.
SAMO Pillow 18" x 18" featuring artwork by Al Díaz, legendary collaborator on the iconic SAMO© graffiti project that emerged in lower Manhattan (1978–1980). Al Díaz is a first-generation subway artist, musician, and Brooklyn resident whose work spans five decades of contemporary art history. His pieces have been exhibited internationally and featured in major publications including Vogue UK, GQ, and documentaries on Jean-Michel Basquiat.
