Artwork by Cey Adams 25,5 x 25,5 cm Screen-print, Mixed Media Collage Edition of 15, hand-signed by the artist and numbered
All prints are hand embellished with paint and collage and one of a kind.
Cey Adams (born 1962) is a pioneering American visual artist, graphic designer, and author, renowned for shaping the visual identity of hip-hop culture.A native of New York City, Adams began his artistic journey in the late 1970s as a graffiti artist, tagging "Cey City" on subway cars and creating murals.His early work was exhibited alongside contemporaries like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, and he appeared in the seminal 1982 PBS documentary Style Wars, which chronicled New York's graffiti scene.
Adams studied painting at the School of Visual Arts and transitioned into graphic design, becoming the founding creative director of Def Jam Recordings in the 1980s.There, he crafted iconic logos, album covers, and branding for artists such as the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, and Jay-Z.He co-founded The Drawing Board, Def Jam's in-house design firm, which influenced the visual style of numerous artists across major labels.
Beyond music, Adams has collaborated with brands like Levi's, Nike, and Coca-Cola, and his artwork has been featured in institutions including MoMA, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Smithsonian.His mixed-media collages often explore themes of pop culture, race, and community, drawing inspiration from 1960s pop art, comic books, and sign painting.
