Conversation with NYC's COCO144

Early graffiti history and the movement’s shift into gallery spaces are the focus of a public conversation at the Museum of Graffiti. Conversation with NYC’s COCO144 takes place Saturday, July 11, in connection with the museum’s exhibition Origins: The First Generation of Graffiti Art. The free program features COCO144 in discussion with museum co-founder and curator Alan Ket.

Born Roberto Gualtieri, COCO144 began writing in Upper West Harlem and Washington Heights in the late 1960s and became part of the first generation of New York graffiti writers to move from walls to subway trains. Known for his crowned straight-letter tag and early use of stencils, he was considered “all city” in the early 1970s and later helped found United Graffiti Artists, serving as the group’s first president.

The conversation will explore COCO144’s role with United Graffiti Artists, whose members helped bring graffiti from trains and streets into gallery and performance spaces. The discussion will also consider the formative years of graffiti as an art form, including COCO144’s connection to the late aerosol art pioneer PHASE2, whose work is featured in the exhibition. Complimentary refreshments will be provided by Monster Energy.