Al Diaz Reclaims Samo© Legacy with Debut UK Show 'Transatlantication' at D'Stassi Gallery
Al Diaz, recognized in the street art community as Bomb One, has launched his inaugural UK exhibit, titled Transatlantication, at the D'Stassi gallery located in Hoxton, London. This event marks a pivotal achievement for Diaz, who, alongside Jean-Michel Basquiat, was instrumental in founding the iconic Samo© graffiti movement during the 1970s. The exhibit showcases archival imagery and contemporary pieces, illustrating Diaz's journey from hype to legacy. Additionally, the film Samo Lives, featuring Danny Ramirez portraying Diaz, captures their formative years. Diaz noted that this phase represents a more mature and nuanced expression in his artistic voice.
Key facts
- Al Diaz, also known as Bomb One, co-created Samo© with Jean-Michel Basquiat in the mid-to-late 1970s.
- Diaz's debut UK show, Transatlantication, is at D'Stassi gallery in Hoxton, London.
- Samo© means 'same old shit' and was a conceptual graffiti project with political meaning.
- Basquiat declared 'Samo© is dead' by spray painting it on a New York wall.
- Diaz revived Samo© in 2016.
- A film titled Samo Lives will chronicle the youth of Basquiat and Diaz, with Danny Ramirez playing Diaz.
- Diaz's individual tag was Bomb One, a nickname from 'blowing up' on someone in a game of tag.
- Diaz worked for artists and was around art from a young age but had no desire to be friends with Andy Warhol.
Entities
Artists
- Al Diaz
- Jean-Michel Basquiat
- Richard Hambleton
- Rammellzee
- Andy Warhol
- Danny Ramirez
- Julius Onah
- Michael Howes
- Edward Sanders
Institutions
- D'Stassi gallery
- It's Nice That
- D'Stassi Art
- City-As-School
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- New York City
- United States
- Hoxton
- Brooklyn
- New York
- Shoreditch