R HAMBLETON
RICHARD HAMBLETON
Richard Hambleton, referred to as the 'godfather of street art', was a pioneering Canadian-American street artist.
He is recognised as a pivotal intermediary between Abstract Expressionism and the popular 'art for the masses' graffiti that boomed in the 1980s.
Predating Banksy by more than a decade, the late Richard Hambleton sparked the street art movement in 1980’s New York, alongside renowned contemporary artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring.
His strategically placed paintings of hundreds of looming, shadow figures could be seen all over Manhattan's public walls.
In April 2017, a documentary following Hambleton’s rise to success and devotion to painting premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. The artist died of cancer at age 65 just six months later.
Hambleton is best known for his grisly “Shadowmen” and “Horse and Rider” figures, which he tagged in alleyways and drug-dealing hotspots in Lower Manhattan throughout the 1970s and ’80s.
Despite finding early success in New York and showing at the Venice Biennale in 1984 and 1988, Hambleton was largely forgotten in the ’90s and early 2000s, when his personal battles with addiction alienated him from the art world.
Hambleton’s work saw a resurgence in the 2010s, with solo shows, major museum retrospectives, and documentaries taking a new look at the seminal role he played in the history of street art.
Hambleton’s work was shown at international exhibits and his art continues to be widely celebrated.
ARTWORK ENQUIRIES
Hambleton was a Canadian-American street artist who is widely credited as the kingpin of the creative revolution that exploded in the East Side in the 1980s. Like Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, the streets of New York were his original canvas, and at the height of his prominence in the mid-1980s he was more highly-valued and sought-after than any of his contemporaries, inspiring a new generation of artists including Blek Le Rat and Banksy.
Hambleton first appeared on the scene in 1976 with his Mass Murder series. For these works, of which he created 600 across 15 cities, the American-Canadian would anonymously chalk the outline of volunteer's bodies on US sidewalks, creating a vivid impression of homicide scenes. But it was the menacing, life-sized, black-silhouetted figure of his early eighties character, the Shadowman, that propelled him to fame. He painted some 450 of them on the walls of New York City.
His reputation established, the artist started to paint the character on canvas. Important New York galleries like the Museum of Modern Art which held Hambleton exhibitions in both 1984 and 1985 quickly embraced him. As did Europe, and he toured the continent in the early eighties, painting his shadowmen on the walls of London, Paris, Berlin and Rome, as well as across Venice for the Biennale in 1984 and 1988. But money and fame didn't satisfy Hambleton, and by the nineties, with an aggressive and ever-worsening drug habit, he had fallen out of view. When Hambleton died in 2017, stricken by cancer, fighting scoliosis and kyphosis, and with his health irreversibly weakened from years of addiction and poverty, the market for his work saw an immediate surge. Within months his 1984 piece, Fountain of Youth II, sold at Sotheby's for $150,000, an impressive leap in value for an artist who had until recently been mainly selling in the thousands. But private sellers reported that they were selling Hambletons for even more than that, citing figures between $500,000 and $1 million. So it was no surprise that in 2018 his 1983 painting, As The World Burns, was auctioned off for some $552,000 at Artcurial in Paris.
A pioneer of street art, though he saw his work as art in public places, Hambleton can be thanked in part for the explosion of graffiti art and the continuing emergence of new contemporary artists, many of whom he inspired. As Paper Magazine wrote in 2009, 'Memo to Banksy: You owe Richard Hambleton a small fortune in royalties.’ Banksy has cited Hambleton as one of his influences. So too has Blek Le Rat, who said, 'This American artist from NYC was the first street artist to export his work all over the world. It was really incredible to do that in the beginning of the 80′s! Richard Hambleton's shadowmen that I discovered in Paris were a great inspiration to me… He's the only artist I ever bought a painting off, one of the greatest.'
EXHIBITION HISTORY
2019
Richard Hambleton | Shadowman, Chase Contemporary, NYC (solo)
2017
Richard Hambleton: I Only Have Eyes For You, Woodward Gallery, New York (solo)
Introducing Woodward Gallery Windows, Woodward Gallery, New York, February 2- March 31
2016
Scribble, Scratch, Paint- Once Removed- 13 Windows, 13 Artists- One Wall, The Windows at NYU Kimmel Gallery, June 10 - August 31, New York
Fall Salon, Woodward Gallery, New York, September 10 – October 28
2015
Réelles Distorsions, Xippas Gallery,Andres Dobler/ Sylvie Fleury/ Richard Hambleton/ Hayan Kam Nakache/ Stephane Kropf, Paris, France March 4- April 18 2015
All Together Different: A Survey of Working Artists on the Lower East Side, Manny Cantor Center, New York
20in15,Woodward Gallery, New York
Réelles Distorsions - Andres Dobler/ Sylvie Fleury/ Richard Hambleton/ Hayan Kam Nakache/ Stephane Kropf, Xippas Gallery, Paris, France March 4- April 18 2015
2014
Sur-Real, Woodward Gallery, New York
Loisaida: New York’s Lower East Side in the ‘80’s, Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts
2013
Richard Hambleton: Beautiful Paintings, curated by Director John Woodward, Art Gallery at the Rockefeller State Park Preserve, Sleepy Hollow, New York (solo)
Ghost Girl Corn Maze, Barton Orchard, Poughquag, New York in collaboration with David Phillips and Woodward Gallery, New York
From the Street Up, Woodward Gallery, New York
2012
Print, Woodward Gallery, NYC
2011
Richard Hambleton: A Retrospective, presented by Andy Valmorbida and Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld in collaboration with Phillips de Pury and Giorgio Armani at Phillips de Pury & Company, New York (solo)
On Every Street, Samuel Owen Gallery, Greenwich, CT. Curated by Michael DeFeo in collaboration with Woodward Gallery, New York October 6 - November 3rd
Art in the Streets, MoCA, Los Angeles, California
Pantheon: A History of Street Art in New York City, Donnell Library Building across from MoMA, April 2-17, New York
2010
Richard Hambleton New York, The Godfather of Street Art, presented by Andy Valmorbida and Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld in collaboration with Giorgio Armani at The Dairy, London (solo)
Richard Hambleton New York, presented by Andy Valmorbida and Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld in collaboration with Giorgio Armani at the State Museum of Modern Art of the Russian Academy of Arts, Moscow (solo)
Richard Hambleton New York, presented by Andy Valmorbida and Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld in collaboration with Giorgio Armani, Milan (solo)
NEVER RECORDS: Part of No Longer Empty’s “Never Can Say Goodbye,” Curated by Manon Slome, Steven Evans, DIA Art Foundation, Asher Remy - Toledo at the former Tower Records at Broadway and West 4th, New York, NY
BIG Paper Winter, featuring original works by Basquiat, Calder, DeKooning, Richard Hambleton, Franz Kline, Rauschenberg, Ad Reinhardt, Warhol; Woodward Gallery, New York
2009
Richard Hambleton New York, presented by Andy Valmorbida and Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld in collaboration with Giorgio Armani, New York
2008
Off the Wall, From Vandalism to Urban Art,November 1 - December 13, 2008, Wilde Gallery, Berlin
Punk. No One is Innocent, May 16 - September 7, Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna, Austria
Stoked Benefit Art Auction, April 5, Milk Gallery at Phillips de Pury, New York, NY
Works on Paper, Woodward Gallery at the Park Avenue Armory, 20th Anniversary, February 29 - March 3, New York, NY
2007–2008
Behind the Seen, Ad Hoc Art, Brooklyn, NY featuring street work by Swoon, Keith Haring, Ron English, Shepard Fairey, Lee Quiñones, and others. Curated by Michael de Feo
2007
The Beautiful Paintings, Woodward Gallery, New York (solo)
Contemporary Art Society Benefit Auction, November 2, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (group)
The Media: Reaction, Reflections, and Comments on the Culture of Media, featured with Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, May 27 - July 13, City of Brea Art Gallery, Brea, California
2006–2007
The New York Art Scene 1974-1984, Grey Art Gallery, New York. Traveling to The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and The Austin Museum of Art, Austin, Texas
Gallery Artists ‘06-’07, Woodward Gallery, New York
2005
“Vintage East Village,” Hal Bromm Gallery, New York
2004–2005
“East Village USA,” December 9, 2004 - March 19, 2005, New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York
1986–1987
“Public and Private: American Prints Today: The 24th National Print Exhibition,” traveling exhibition: Brooklyn Museum, Flint Institute of Arts, RISD, Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, and the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, including works by Eric Fischl, Richard Hambleton, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, James Rosenquist, Donald Sultan, Wayne Thiebaud, James Turrell, and Andy Warhol
1985
Piezo Electric Gallery, New York (solo)
1985
Salvatore Ala Gallery, New York (solo)
1985
Zellermayer Galerie, Berlin, Germany (solo)
1985
Museo DeArte Costaricense, Costa Rica, Spain (solo)
1985
“Syndesthetics,” PS 1, Long Island City, New York
1985
“Smart Art,” Toesph Mosheck, Cambridge, Massachusetts
1984
“Of the Streets,” University of Colorado, Aspen, featuring Jenny Holzer, Tom Warren, Richard Hambleton, Lady Pink, John Fekner, CRASH, Daze, Keith Haring, David Wojnarowicz, Marc Brasz, Spank, Candace Hill-Montgomery, and John Ahearn
1984
“New Talent - New York,” travelling exhibition organized by Sioux City Art Center, Iowa
1984
“East Village Artists,” The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia
1984
“East Village Scene,” Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1984
“Activated Walls,” The Queens Museum, New York
1984
“Chill Out,” Kenkeleba House, New York
1984
“Romance and Catastrophe,” Zellermayer Gallerie, Berlin, Germany
1984
“Sculpture Now,” Anna Friebe Galerie, Koln, Germany
1984
“25,000 Sculptors from Across the USA,” Civilian Warfare, New York
1984
“Aperto ‘84,” BIENNALE DIE VENEZIA, Venice, Italy
1984
“Body Politic,” Tower Gallery, New York
1984
“Arte di Frontiera,” Galeria Communale d’arte Moderna, Bologna, Milan and Rome, Italy
1984
“Situation,” Bess Cutler Gallery, New York
1984
“Galleries of the Lower East Side,” Artist Space, New York
1984
“Limbo,” PS 1, Long Island City, New York
1984
“Totem,” Bonnier Gallery, Charles Cowles Gallery, and Germans Van Eck Gallery, New York
1984
“Abstract Persona,” Dramatis Personae Gallery, New York
1984
“121,” Antwerp, Belgium (solo)
1984
Anna Friebe Galerie, Cologne, Germany (solo)
1984
Galerie Barbara Farber, Amsterdam (solo)
1984
Galerie Salvatore Ala, Milano, Italy (solo)
1984
Salvatore Ala Gallery, New York (solo)
1983
Piezo Electric, New York (solo)
1983
Civilian Warefare, New York (solo)
1983
Limbo Lounge, New York (solo)
1983
Abstract Persona, Dramatis Personae Gallery, New York
1983
Piezo Electric, New York
1983
“Vancouver: art and artists 1931-1983” Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver
1983
Ronald Feldman Gallery, New York
1983
“Black and White Show,” Kenkelba Gallery, New York
1983
Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York
1983
Galleri Cassandra, Norway
1983
Seventh Annual Forgione, New York
1983
Fashion Moda, Bronx, New York
1983
Tweed Gallery, New Jersey
1983
Weatherspoon Art Gallery, North Carolina
1983
Greenville County Museum of Art, South Carolina
1983
American Graffiti Gallery, Amsterdam
1983
Group Material- Subculture, New York
1983
Pier 34 Project, New York
1983
International Running Center, New York
1983
“Terminal New York” , Brooklyn, New York
1982
Club 57, New York
1982
5th International Apartment Festival, March 15-21
1982
Storefront for Art and Architecture, New York
1982
Pyramid, New York
1982
Cheltenham Art Center, Pennsylvania
1982
Alexander Milliken Gallery, New York
1982
Squat Theater, New York
1982
Sarah Lawrence College Gallery, New York
1982
“Art on the Beach,” Creative Time’s, New York
1982
Second Story Books, Baltimore
1982
“The Real Estate Show,” ABC No Rio, New York
1982
Alexander Milliken- East Village Gallery, New York (solo)
1982
Flavio Belli Gallery, Toronto, Canada (solo)
1981
9th Street Survival Show, New York
1981
Club 57, New York
1981
White Columns, New York
1981
ABC No Rio, New York
1981
Public Image Gallery, New York
1980
“Times Square Show,” Collaborative Projects Incorporated and Fashion Moda, New York
1980
La Mamelle, Inc. San Francsico, CA (solo)
1979
Pumps Center for Art, Vancouver, Canada (solo)
1978
Western Front, Vancouver, Canada (solo)
1977
Pumps Center for Art, Vancouver, Canada (solo)