Rammellzee

Estate of the Artist

This work is in very good condition overall. The sheet is hinged on the reverse to the backing board. All of the collage elements are stable and intact, with some minor lifting noted to the collaged film. There is some wear to some of the collage elements due to the nature of the found materials. Upon close inspection, there is a minor loss to the collaged paper at the center right of the composition. Framed under Plexiglas.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Rammellzee was a prominent figure in the New York Street Art scene of the 1970s and 80s. While the practice of some of his contemporaries, such as Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, was limited to tagging subway platforms and the streets, the work of Rammellzee and artists including Lee Quiñones, LA II and Futura 2000 among others, extended to writing graffiti on subway cars. The work of the train graffiti writers was not only very dangerous, but also iconoclastic and a significant factor in setting the aesthetic backdrop to the creative street culture of New York at this time. Beyond his talents as a graffiti and visual artist, Rammellzee was also an early Hip Hop pioneer, fusing music with visual art and performance.

Rammellzee became a cult figure to this group of artists, and known for creating a detailed manifesto outlining his theory of Gothic Futurism – the idea that when liberated from linguistic structures, individual letters could be potent self-signifying enigmas. By incorporating fractured language and letters into his multimedia art practice, the artist explored the various ways of liberating language. Further to his focus on language in his work, the artist created a detailed mythology that incorporated many powerful figures, for whom he created costumes and built sculptures that he exhibited in his studio, which he called the Battle Station.