Oh Cey Can You See

Cey Adams, a New York City native, emerged from the downtown graffiti movement to exhibit alongside fellow artists, Jean Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. Cey’s work explores the relationship between transformation and discovery. His practice involves dismantling various imagery and paper elements to build multiple layers of color, texture, shadow and light. Cey draws inspiration from 60s pop art, sign painting, comic books and popular culture. His work focuses on themes including pop culture, race and gender relations, cultural and community issues.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY POLINA OSHEROV 

*This article originally appeared in PATTERN Magazine vol. 11

“No two paintings are identical, but each shares the same number of stars and same number of stripes.”

“My work has always been about communication. When I was younger it was about expressing those ideas through the use of a spray can. Graffiti represented the relationship between transformation and discovery. Colorful beauty and the powerful freedom of creating positive energy from nothing in New York City. Today my mission is expanding…education is the centerpiece of my art practice. Exchanging ideas through community, touching souls and moving obstacles to create opportunities for myself and others. I use my journey though souls and moving obstacles to create opportunities for myself and others. I use my journey through graffiti, graphic design, and hip hop to teach young people about the history of our culture, black culture. Art is a universal language, I’m very fortunate to be a cultural ambassador.”

“The flags on view here are certainly a testament to the power of an iconic image across a society that is so diverse.”

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