Fab Five Freddy just closed his “New York, New Work” exhibition, and Complex.com was quick to talk with him afterwards. In the interview, Fred Brathwaite spoke about the exhibit, his beginnings as a graffiti artist, introduction to the art scene, and more.

“I started doing graf ages ago, but more significantly, I was one of the first writers that wanted to move into the art scene as an artist, back in the early ’80s,” Freddy said.

As a younger artist, Fab Five Freddy was involved with some of the first hip-hop movies ever, Rapture and Wild Style, and the talk show, Yo! MTV Raps. He also worked often with Futura 2000, an artist he still considers a close friend.

Now, Brathwaite stays involved in the hip-hop scene by continuing to make art and participating in conventions like the recent “Arts in the Streets“ show. Freddy said the diversity was the most rewarding part of the exhibition.

“More people are involved, more people know about it. It’s become a global culture. It was only in the city at that time, and now it’s worldwide. That’s what is exciting for me, especially with Art in the Streets,” he said. “There’s a great website, Artinthestreet.tv, and it has short clips of the main artist in the show. You really get to see the diversity of the artist and their work. Different energies from different places.”

For the full interview, see Complex.

Here are some of the pieces from “New York, New Work,” after the jump.

The post Complex Interview with Fab Five Freddy appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Fab 5 Freddy, hip-hop icon and former host of “Yo! MTV Raps“, is currently showcasing his newest exhibition at Gallery 151 on the Bowery in New York. The exhibit, entitled “New York: New Work” features works of two distinct artistic styles; the new show combines crystal-encrusted digital renderings of pin-up models and boxers, as well as reworked paintings of famous graffiti tag works. Freddy comments: “We take these images [of boxers and models], we digitally alter them, and then the images are printed on canvas, and then we apply thousands of these little of these Swarovski crystals to them…[the other] pieces are new wave work[s] with with elements of graffiti, and the background is a train that I executed quite a while ago, which was a homage to Andy Warhol..I’m remixing forms and shapes of my past and turning it into something new.”

Freddy’s exhibit can be seen at Gallery 151, located at 350 Bowery (Btwn. 4th Street and Great Jones), and will be running until July 1st, so hurry and check it out. Hours are Tuesday – Friday 2-8pm, Saturday & Sunday 12:30 – 7:30pm.

Check out Freddy’s interview with Pix 11 about the gallery below

photo via Bowery Boogie

The post Fab 5 Freddy’s New Art and Graffiti Exhibit On The Bowery appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.