Samo Since 1978 Book
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Al Díaz and Jean-Michel Basquiat stoked public intrigue in 1978 as teenagers when they began tagging their SAMO(c)... writings throughout New York City. The statements spoke to people, spoke about...
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Meet the Maker
Al Diaz Artist
Where are you from/where did you grow up?
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.”
Why did you start your business?
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).
How does your work connect to Brooklyn?
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.
Description
Al Díaz and Jean-Michel Basquiat stoked public intrigue in 1978 as teenagers when they began tagging their SAMO(c)... writings throughout New York City.
The statements spoke to people, spoke about people, and sometimes spoke of nothing at all. What began as a cynical, yet clever joke among friends--eventually became a creative cornerstone for both artists--and a hallmark of NYC art historical accounts.
Everyone around town was asking,"Who is SAMO?" Basquiat's path was well laid when the pair gave up their anonymity to the Village Voice in December 1978, in exchange for $100. The ball was rolling. Within two years Basquiat would be a famous painter, abruptly leaving behind Díaz and street writings for the blue chip gallery circuit. Díaz became a regular player in the NYC music scene. SAMO(c)... was dead. Ten years after that, Basquiat was also dead. But today, Albert Díaz is very much alive.
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