Henry Chalfant's Graffiti Archive Debuts in Northern Europe at Amsterdam's STRAAT Museum
The STRAAT Museum in Amsterdam is showcasing Henry Chalfant's extensive graffiti collection in an exhibition titled "Art Is Not A Crime," running until 13 March 2027. This event represents the second time that more than 800 photographs have been displayed outside of the United States. Some subway images are presented at train scale, reaching heights over three meters and widths of 25 meters. A Stanford-educated sculptor, Chalfant began capturing subway graffiti in the early 1970s and co-directed the 1983 film Style Wars. His influential book, Subway Art, was published in 1984. Chalfant highlights the commercialization of graffiti and its ties to hip-hop, emphasizing that many established artists still engage in illegal painting for the sake of freedom, especially as free speech diminishes. Launched in October 2020, STRAAT features over 180 pieces by 170 street artists.
Key facts
- Henry Chalfant's complete graffiti archive of over 800 photographs is on view at STRAAT Museum in Amsterdam until 13 March 2027.
- The exhibition, titled "Art Is Not A Crime," is only the second time the full archive has been shown outside the US.
- Some subway photographs are reproduced at the scale of original trains, over three meters high and up to 25 meters wide.
- Chalfant co-produced the 1983 documentary Style Wars and co-authored the 1984 book Subway Art with Martha Cooper.
- Chalfant moved from suburban Pittsburgh to New York in 1973 and was initially mistaken for a policeman by graffiti writers.
- STRAAT Museum opened in October 2020 in an 86,000 sq ft former ship-welding warehouse in Amsterdam's NDSM district, founded by Peter Hoogerwerf and led by Marion Wolff.
- The museum's semi-permanent exhibition features more than 180 works by around 170 international street artists, with murals leased for 25 years so artists retain IP rights.
- Chalfant recalls that by the late 1970s commercial galleries were exhibiting graffiti writers, and by 1980 a collective effort to control the market failed.
Entities
Artists
- Henry Chalfant
- Martha Cooper
- Tony Silver
- Blade
- Banksy
- Jean-Michel Basquiat
- Keith Haring
- Rammellzee
- A-One
- Toxic
- Peter Hoogerwerf
- Marion Wolff
- Donald Trump
Institutions
- STRAAT Museum
- Yaki Kornblit's gallery
- Van Gogh Museum
- Stanford University
- Style Wars
Locations
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands
- New York
- United States
- Pittsburgh
- NDSM district
- 149th Street
- NDSM