Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Sneakers, Graffiti and Controversy North of Houston
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 10, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 10, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
As part of Adidas's new spring line of End to End sneakers for Foot Locker, the German shoe manufacturer has created an EndtoEnd Project exhibit in an empty lot on Lafayette and Houston. Adidas had different graffiti artists create designs for shoes in an East London warehouse, so in bringing the finished shoes to the states, Adidas has the artists tagging a replica of a NYC subway car!
Cue for a quote from City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. He told amNew York, "Graffiti has nothing to do with sneakers, so basically it's just another despicable corporation trying to look edgy by promoting a crime in search of profits. [It's] like posting a billboard calling on teens to break the law." A retired police officer also told AMNY that foreigners are mostly the ones tagging subway cars today: "The problem is, New York is like the Holy Grail. It's where the graffiti movement got started."
And now is as good a time as any to recall Judge Jed Rakoff's 2005 ruling allowing Marc Ecko's graffiti party to go on:
"By the same token, presumably, a street performance of 'Hamlet' would be tantamount to encouraging revenge murder... As for a street performance of 'Oedipus Rex,' don't even think about it... The denial of the permit on the stated grounds that the demonstration will 'incite' others to actually paint graffiti on subway cars is a flagrant violation of the First Amendment and cannot stand."
[Ecko had received a permit for graffiti artists to tag fake subway cars to coincide with the release of the video game, Getting Up, but the city revoked the permit.]
This morning, there were easily at least 10 cops nearby, but this afternoon, we only saw one. And at any rate, Adidas's subway car is a whole lot more realistic than Ecko's subway car facades. The subway car, with DJs providing music, will be around until 8PM. More pictures, plus bios of the artists, after the jump:
Masters of the Trade Each piece of signature footwear showcases the artists' unique, individual talents and tastes. The graffiti masters include:
Skore - For more than 20 years, Skore has been a staple part of the subculture in the U.K., participating in every aspect of the art form. His development of lettering styles combined with technical skill and original flair has kept him a primary influence for many graffiti writers worldwide.
Can2 and Atom - Can2 and Atom juxtapose traditional letterforms and characters with searing colorways and incredible attention to detail. Together, they have influenced a whole generation of modern-day graffiti artists.
Siloette - Based in the U.S., Siloette's illustrative style of character and letter painting has made her one to watch, with an incredible use of color and unique flowing style.
Rime - Known for pushing the limitations of lettering, Rime's pieces are a combination of vivid colors, cartoon-style outlines and bold tags. He is one of the most respected writers in the U.S., and has influenced many others both within and outside of the graffiti world.
Scien - Working alongside his wife Klor, Scien developed the infamous 123 Klan collective in 1992. Well known for crisp outlines and clean detailing, his repertoire now extends beyond graffiti: the 123 Klan is established as one of the finest design and illustration agencies in Europe.
Smart - Combining traditional New York lettering with creative hand styles, Italian-based Smart has quickly become a name to be reckoned with. All of his work has a raw and funky twist to it, utilizing great colorways and inspired detailing.
Tagged
amNew York
As
city
City Councilman
City Councilman Peter Vallone
City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr
Councilman Peter Vallone
councilman peter vallone jr
crime
DJs
East London
first amendment
foot locker
Getting Up
graffiti
holy grail
houston
Jr.
law
london
marc ecko
murder
Music
new york
News: NYC
nyc
Oedipus Rex
peter vallone
peter vallone jr.
pictures
police
style
subway
transportation
Vallone Jr
video
video game
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Inside the hidden chamber that controls Lincoln Center's magnificent fountain
Gothamist went behind the scenes to learn how the NYC landmark keeps its majestic waters flowing.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 23, 2026
In the algorithm age, NYC college radio DJs are still broadcasting the funky stuff
We dropped by WNYU to see what the next generation of radio DJs is up to. The answer is "Br00tal Beats To Study/Relax To."
By
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
In the algorithm age, NYC college radio DJs are still broadcasting the funky stuff
We dropped by WNYU to see what the next generation of radio DJs is up to. The answer is "Br00tal Beats To Study/Relax To."
By
James Ramsay
A Queens prop shop shutters, bunnies find a home uptown, and more openings and closings
By
Hannah Frishberg
A new film invites you to eavesdrop on one of the greatest conversations in NYC history
By
Sonia Rao
The Knicks are NBA champions. Now they have to start dressing the part.
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .