Chris "Daze" Ellis, 2019
Photo by Kyle Dorosz
Born in 1962 in New York City, Chris "Daze" Ellis began his prolific career as part of the second generation of graffiti writers, painting New York City subway cars in 1976 while attending The High School of Art and Design. Inspired at an early age by writers such as Blade, Lee Quinones, and PHASE 2, Daze gained notoriety as a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s and remains one of the few artists of his generation to make the successful transition from subways to the studio. Daze's first group show was the seminal Beyond Words at the Mudd Club in 1981 which featured works by Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Soon after, his first solo exhibition was held at Fashion Moda, an influential alternative art space in the South Bronx. He has had numerous solo exhibitions at the Palais Liechtenstein, Feldkirch, Austria; Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain, Nice, France; Galleria del Palazzo, Florence, Italy; Fortune Cookie Projects, Singapore; The Museum of the City of New York, New York; and P·P·O·W, New York. His work can also be found in the permanent collections of The Whitney Museum, New York; Museum of Modern Art, New York; The Museum of the City of New York; The Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, Aachen, Germany; Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT; and The Addison Gallery of American Art at the Phillips Academy, Andover, MA; among others.
Chris “Daze” Ellis
b. 1962, New York, NY
Lives and works in New York, NY
Solo Exhibitions
2023
Chris Daze Ellis: People and Places, Sevil Dolmaci Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
Destination, Arena Studio D'arte, Verona, Italy
2022
Give It All You Got, P·P·O·W, New York, NY
2020
Next Wave, Institut Catholique de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
Chris Daze Ellis – 40 Ans de Creation, 80s and 90s work, Ghost Galerie, Marseille, France
Recent Works, Chateau de Forbin, Marseille (Provence), France
2019
The Journey, Woodbury House, London, United Kingdom
Seasons, Galleria del Palazzo, Florence, Italy
New York Perspectives, Joe Conzo/Chris DAZE Ellis, curated by Mode2, Urban Spree, Berlin, Germany
2018
Daily Commute, P·P·O·W, New York, NY
Grey Scale Paintings, Russ Berrie Medical Science Pavilion at Columbia University, New York, NY
Portals, Galerie Speerstra, Paris, France
2017
Small Paintings, Galerie Drugier-Rigail, Paris, France
2016
Now and Later, Avant Garden Gallery, Milan, Italy
Days of Daze, Art Dynasty Gallery, Forte dei Marmi, Italy
Soundtrack, UV Studios, Buenos Aires, Argentina
The Asphalt Jungle, Childs Gallery, Boston, MA
2015
The City is My Muse, Museum of the City of New York, New York, NY
New Works, Galleria del Palazzo, Florence, Italy
2014
Street Talk: Chris Daze Ellis in Dialogue with the Collection, Addison Gallery of American Art at the Phillips Academy, Andover, MA
Indigo Dreams, TT Underground Gallery, New York, NY
2012
Chris DAZE Ellis, New Prints and Editions, Emperial Gallery @Camaradas El Barrio, New York, NY
2011
The Grey Scale, Known Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2010
Daze in Singapore, Fortune Cookie Projects, Singapore
Daze, The Palazzo Casali, Tuscan Sun Festival, Cortona, Italy
Daze Solo Exhibition, Watergate Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
Daze, Chang Art Gallery, Beijing, China
2009
While the City Sleeps, Reflections from the 3rd Rail, Gallery Speerstra, Geneva, Switzerland
Daze/Crash, Adhoc Art Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Fat Caps and Burnt Racks, Andenken Gallery, Denver, CO
I’m so hot!, Galerie Helenbeck, Nice, France
2008
Daze, Galleria del Palazzo/Italian Group Florence, Italy
Daze South Bronx to Naples, Entropy Art in Progress, Naples, Italy
2006
The Climate Paintings, Galleria del Palazzo, Florence, Italy
The Climate Paintings, My Own Gallery, Milan, Italy
The Climate Paintings, Galleria Del Pallazzo, Pietrasanta, Italy
New Paintings, Midoma, New York, NY
2005
Mulheres Perfecto, Galerie Speerstra, Paris, France
Paint Away the Pain w/Mode2,1300 Gallery, Cleveland, OH
2004
Nudes, Galerie Speerstra, Paris, France
2003
Elevation, Galerie Speerstra, Paris, France
Daze/Sharp, Diner Bar, New York, NY
Daze, Prosper Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2002
The Agenda Paintings, Galerie Speerstra, Paris, France
The Sketchbook Paintings, Eastwicke Gallery, Chicago, IL
Portraits, Steven Vail Gallery, Des Moines, IA
2001
Daze & the Kids from the Urban Art Project, Kreuzlingen, Switzerland
Works on Paper, Prosper Gallery, New York, NY
Elevated Stations and Interiors, Modern Culture at the Gershwin, New York, NY
2000
DAZE, Atelier Laderhof, Stockholm, Sweden
The Agenda Paintings and Monochromes, Eastwick Gallery, Chicago, IL
1999
WORKS ON PAPER, 1990-99, Masterpiece Gallery, Birmingham, MI
DAZE, CRASH, ON THE EXPRESS TRAIN, Palais du Lichtenstein, Feldkirch, Austria; traveled to: Grossmarkethallen, Munchen, Munich, Germany
DAZE, CRASH, AMERICAN GRAFFITI, Musee D'Art Moderne et Art Contemporain, Nice, France
1998
THE CONEY ISLAND PAINTINGS, Gallerie Four, Basel, Switzerland
DAZE/CRASH, Recent Works, Pallazzo Enrico Coveri, Florence, Italy
DAZE, Ideya, New York, NY
Urban Messages, Masterpiece Gallery, Birmingham, MI
1996
DAZE/DZINE, Summit Street Gallery, Iowa City, IA
1994
DAZE & CRASH, York University Gallery, York College, New York, NY
DAZE & CRASH, Club U.S.A., New York, NY
1993
DAZE®, Galerie de la Cathedrale, Nice, France
DAZE WORLD, The Time is Always Now Gallery, Hong Kong
Decade of Drawings, Gallery Michel Gillet, Paris, France
Decade of Drawings, Gallery B5, Nauen-Lietzow, Germany
1990
Daze & Crash, Black and White in Color Gallery, Bronx, NY
Daze & Crash, Gallery Structures, Montpellier, France
Daze, Gallery Michel Gillet, Paris, France
1989
Daze, Museum of American Graffiti, New York, NY
Daze, Gallery B5, Monte Carlo
1987
New Paintings, Alexander Woods Gallery, New York, NY
1986
Crowd Control, Nada Gallery, New York, NY
Daze, Pene du Bois Gallery, New York, NY
1985
DAZE, Eastman-Wahmendorf Gallery, New York, NY
1984
CRASH & DAZE, Sidney Janis Gallery, New York, NY
1983
Daze, Pitekin Thropus Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1982
Daze, Hallwalls, Buffalo, NY
Daze Fashion MODA, Bronx, NY
Select Group Exhibitions
2024
Above Ground: Art from the Martin Wong Graffiti Collection, Museum of the City of New York, NY
The Way I See It: Selections from the KAWS Collection, the Drawing Center, New York, NY
Waterford Walls Festival, Waterford, Ireland
Urban Art Evolution, Nassau County Museum of Art, Roslyn Harbor, NY
2023
Wild Style 40, curated by Carlos McCormick, Jeffrey Deitch, New York, NY
Luxe, Calme, Volupté, Candice Madey Gallery, New York, NY
City as Studio, curated by Jeffrey Deitch, K11 Art Foundation, Hong Kong
Beyond the Streets, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
2022
Somewhere Downtown, UCCA, Beijing, China
2021
New York East Village Artists’, KwanHoon Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
Go Figure, curated by Todd James, Over the Influence, Hong Kong
2020
The Studio of the Street, K11 Art Foundation, Hong Kong
The Bronx Does It Better, Wallworks, Bronx, NY
#selected 6, Speerstra Gallery, Bursins, Switzerland
Writers: From Subways to Streets, Arena Studio D’Arte, Verona, Italy
Goldman Global Arts at Wynwood Walls, Miami, FL
2019
The Element of Style: The 80’s Graffiti & Hip-Hop Scenes of New York, Seoul Sup Art Center, Page Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
Beyond the Streets, 25 Kent Street, Brooklyn, NY
2017
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars, Ely Center for Contemporary Art, New Haven, CT
From the Streets: An Exhibition of Urban Art, curated by Marc Leader and Melissa McCaig Welles, Arts Westchester, White Plains, NY
2016
Off the Wall, World Trade Gallery, New York, NY
Glamorous Graffiti, Nassau County Museum of Art, Long Island, NY
Street Art, Banksy & Co, Palazzo Peopli, Museo della Storia si Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Daze & Tats Cru, Jardin Rouge, Marrakech, Morocco
Group Show, 212 Gallery, New York, NY
The Originals, The Sanctuary, Goldman Global Arts, Miami, FL
Magic City, Curated by Carlo McCormick and Ethel Seno, Dresden, Germany
Pigments Vertigo, Daze/Crash/Pro176, Galerie Cox, Bordeaux, France
2015
Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland, Curated by Robin Jaffee Frank, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
Impact, 1975 Gallery, Rochester, NY
Fashion Moda, 35 Years Later, Wall Works, Bronx, NY
All Types of Characters, Josh Liner Gallery, New York, NY
Here Lies, 1975 Gallery, Rochester, NY
New York Meets the Dam, The Amsterdam Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Sideshow, Curated by Lisa Kereszi, The Edgewood Gallery at Yale University of Art, New Haven, CT
Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland, Curated by Robin Jaffee Frank, The Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, CT
2014
Depth of Substance, Succulent Studios, Brooklyn, NY
Succulent, Succulent Studios, Brooklyn, NY
Point.Focus.Click, Wall Work, Bronx, NY
First Taste, Wall Work, Bronx, NY
Loisada: New York’s Lower East Side in the 80’s, Addison Gallery of American Art at the Phillips Academy, Andover, MA
From Blade and Daze to Lee and Rammellzee: American Graffiti, Museum de Wieger, Deurne, The Netherlands
Black Book Masters, Dirtypilot.com
City as Canvas, New York City Graffiti from the Martin Wong Collection, Museum of the City of New York, New York, NY
2013
2nd Bienal Internacional Graffiti Fine Art, MUBE, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Group Show, Galeria Matilha, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Graffiti: In the Beginning, Space Junk Art Center, Bayonne, France
Write of Passage, Red Bull Space, New York, NY
Graffiti Mash Up, Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2012
This Side of Paradise, curated by Empty No More, Andrew Freeman House, Bronx, NY
The Boneyard Project, Return Trip, Pima Air and Space Museum, Tucson, AZ
2011
Paper Trail, curated by Daze, Shadow Space Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Songs, Fuse Gallery, New York, NY
Hall of Fame, Speerstra Gallery, Switzerland
Art from the Streets, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA
Martha Cooper: Remix, Carmichael Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Art, Access and Decay: NY 1875-1983, curated by Lisa Kahane and Peter Frank, Subliminal Projects, Los Angeles, CA
Dear Japan, We Love You, Benefit at Open House Gallery, New York, NY
Group Show, Alba Art Gallery, Bologna, Italy
Graff City, Opera Gallery, Paris, France
Melange of Street Art, Helenbeck Gallery, Nice, France
Graffiti Art, 40 Years of Expressionism, Grimaldi Forum, Monte Carlo
Paths of Rhythm, Fuse Gallery, New York, NY
Abstractions, Opera Gallery, New York, NY
Graff in the City, Opera Gallery, Paris, France
2010
Draw, Museo De La Cuidad De Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
Public Consumption, The Puffin Room, New York, NY
Down By Law, Eric Firestone Gallery, East Hampton, NY
2009
Draw, White Walls, San Francisco, CA
Martin Wong’s Downtown Crossings, Asian/Pacific/American Institute at NYU, New York, NY
Le Tag au Grand Palais, Grand Palais, Paris, France
Then and Now: Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Center Show, Gay and Lesbian Community Center, New York, NY
Group Show, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Coming from the Street, Foundation Cartier, Paris, France
Whole in the Wall, Helenbeck Gallery/Splashlight Studios, New York, NY
2008
Group Show, Recoat Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland
Group Show, Bernaducci Gallery/Meisel Gallery, New York, NY
Draw, Stolen Space, London, United Kingdom
2007
Fabulous Disordens, Caixa Cultural, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
70’s Show, Powerhouse Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Charity by Numbers, Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Ballpoint Pen Drawing Show, Cinders Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Joyride, 33 West 17th Street, New York, NY
Joyride, Collette Store, Paris, France
Group Show, Galleria del Palazzo, Florence, Italy
Group Show, ReCoat Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland
Graffiti Stories, Musee Paul Valery, Sète, France
Graffiti Stories, Musee International Des Arts Modeste, Sète, France
Visual Slang, Henry Street Settlement, New York, NY
Draw, Gallery Lombardi, Austin, TX
Group Show, EU Gallery, Miami, FL
2006
Graffiti, Brooklyn Museum, New York, NY
New York’s Own, Fuse Gallery, New York, NY
Banned From Television 7, Canal Chapter, New York, NY
Draw, Fuse Gallery, New York, NY
2005
Installation Scion Art Tour, Cassius King Gallery, San Diego, CA traveled to McCaig-Welles Gallery, New York, NY
The New York Yankees and the American Dream, Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa, FL
Group Show, Modern Culture, New York, NY
Writers vs. Riders, Upper Playground, New York, NY
ABC no Rio Benefit Auction, Deitch Gallery, New York, NY
The Munny Show, Drive by Studios, New York, NY
Group Show, Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, NY
2004
Group Show, Prosper Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Tag the System, The Showroom, New York, NY
War and Peace, Woodstock Gallery of Art, Woodstock, NY
The Subway Series, Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY
East Village ASU, B-side Gallery, New York, NY
East Village USA, The New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, NY
Kosmopolite, Taxie Gallery, Paris, France
2003
Graffiti in Print, Prosper Gallery, New York, NY
Daze, Done, Crash, Midoma Gallery, New York, NY
On Line, Feigen Contemporary, New York, NY
Howl! Opening Night Artists Ball, Angel Orensanz Center, New York, NY
Group Show, Gallery Speerstra, Paris, France
2002
The New York Armory Show, Modern Culture, New York, NY
2001
This is the Modern World, Modern Culture, New York
Crash, Daze, Sharp, New Paintings, Pace University Gallery, New York, NY
Safe Harbors - Auction to Benefit the Point Community Development Corp., Pacifico Fine Arts, NY
Aerosol Art, No Name Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
I Love New York Benefit for the World Trade Center, Modern Culture New York, NY
The Armory Show 2001, Pier 90, New York, NY
2000 Zurich Art Fair, Projects United, Zurich, Switzerland
Group show, AZ NY Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ
Toronto International Art Fair, Andrew Edlin Fine Arts, Toronto, Canada
Art Miami, Andrew Edlin Fine Arts, Miami, FL
Tectonic, La Panaderia, Mexico City, Mexico
Landscapes, Schloss Brunegg, Projects United, Kreuzlingen, Switzerland
Milano Contemporary Art Fair, Projects United, Milan, Italy
Summer Show, DFN Gallery, New York, NY
The Base and the Beautiful, Andrew Edlin Fine Arts, Hoboken, NJ
Frederick Wiesman Collection, Pepperdine University Museum, Malibu, CA
Coming from the Underground, Steven Vail Gallery, Des Moines, IA
Graffiti at Guernsey's, Puck Building, New York, NY
Gallery Blu, Pontiac, MI
NYCENTURY, Museum of the City of New York, New York, NY
In the City, Modern Culture, New York, NY
1999
NY2K, El Bohio, New York, NY
Cadaver Dog, Life Cafe, New York, NY
Urban Mythologies, The Bronx Represented since the 1960's, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY
Inaugural Exhibition, Andrew Edlin Fine Arts, Hoboken, NJ
The New York Century: World Capital, Hometown, 1900-2000, Museum of the City of New York, NY
HAKS was here: A selection from the permanent collection of The Groninger Museum, Groningen, The Netherlands
Metalurgy, The Learnung Tree, New York, NY
Y2K, IO Gallery, Bronx, NY
Pittura Dura, Fundaciona Bricherasio, Torino, Italy
1998
New York Graffiti Art: Coming from the Subways, the collection of Henk and Leonie Pijnenburg, Museum Der Stadt, Rattingen, Germany
Urban Encounters, Bullit Space, New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, NY
Album: 30 Years at the Lower East Side Printshop, West Chelsea Arts Building, New York, NY
Eighth Annual Comic Arts Show, Max Fish, New York, NY
American Graffiti, Museo De Arte Contemporanea Do Parana Seec Curitiba, Fundacao Clovis Salgado, Palacio Das Artes, Associacao Patronas Do Palacio Das Artes, Museu De Arte Moderna Mam Bahia, Museu De Arte Moderna Rio De Janeiro, Instituto Cultural Itau, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Inner City Tendencies, L'Casa D'Arte, Milan, Italy
The Web Gallery, New York, NY
Global Housewarming, First Floor Gallerie, Melbourne, Australia
1997
Genuine Enamel, Around the Coyote, Chicago, IL
New York Tendencies, Zurich Art Fair, Zurich, Switzerland
Works on Paper, Avanti Gallery, New York, NY
Cyberart comes to Tribeca, Web Gallery, New York, NY
American Graffiti, Selections from the Ludwig Museum, Chiostro del Bramante, Rome, Italy
1996
Bronx Salon-Longwood Arts Center, Bronx, NY
New York Graffiti, In Confrontatie, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The Usual Suspects, Avanti Gallery, New York City, NY
One, Rush Foundation Art Gallery, New York City, NY
Whatever Happened to Pop Art?, Gallery Stendhal, New York City, NY
Round Up, Livestock Gallery, New York City, NY
Group Show, Mary Anthony Gallery, New York City, NY
15 Years Above Ground, Tamara Bane Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Fashion Moda, Lehman College Art Gallery, Bronx, NY
Creativity on the Road, Museo Palazzo Rocca, Chiavari, Rapallo
Museo D, Arte Moderna, Gallarate, Italy
1995
Drawn on the Museum, Aldrich Museum, Ridgefield, CT
Creativity on the Road, Museo Palazzo Rocca, Chiavari, Rapallo
Museo D, Arte Moderna, Gallarate, Italy
Smells Like Vinyl, Roger Merians Gallery, New York, NY
15 Years Above Ground, C-World, New York, NY
Space, Time, Light, New York, NY
Xmas Show, Mary Anthony Gallery, New York, NY
Doggystyle, 543 East 6th Street, New York, NY
Longwood Arts Project Silent Auction, P·P·O·W Gallery, New York, NY
1994
Artists Select, Artists Space, New York, NY
Multiple Flavors, Space, Time, Light Gallery, New York, NY
Urban Expressionism, Hudson Guild Art Gallery, New York, NY
Aerosoul, Paterson Museum, Paterson, NJ
Influential Works of the 90s, Hobbs Gallery, Boston, MA
Elvis + Marilyn = 2X Immortal, The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, MA; The Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, NC; The Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD; The San Jose Museum of Art; San Jose, CA; The Honolulu Academy of Art, Honolulu, HI
1993
Reconquista: Reclaiming the Tainos, Longwood Arts Center, Bronx, NY
Eight Urban Artists from New York, Galerie Gleditsch 45, Berlin, Germany
Spray Enamelism, Tunnel Club, New York, NY
Art Against the Wall, Space, Time, Light Gallery, New York, NY
Art 101, The Time Is Always Now, New York, NY
Urban Analysis, Barbara Braathen Gallery, New York, NY
Coming Out of the Can, Space, Time, Light Gallery, New York, NY
1992
Diffa AIDS Benefit, Industry Nite Club, Detroit, Michigan
Malcolm X, Portrait of a Legacy, Aaron Davis Hall at City College, New York, NY
Graffiti III, Colleen Greco Gallery, New York, NY
Summer Salon, Herron Test Site, Brooklyn, New York, NY
Group Show, Celebrity Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Graffiti, Klarfeld Perry Gallery, New York, NY
The Legacy, Rempire Gallery, New York, NY
Group Show, Barbara Braathen Gallery, New York, NY
Coming From the Subway, New York Graffiti, Groningen Museum, Groningen, Holland
1991
Hip Hop Nation, Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT
Post Graffiti, Fine Art, Federal Reserve Building, Washington D.C.
Ens ist Deas Leben, Federal Reserve Building, Washington D.C.
Group Show, Michel Gillet Gallery, Paris, France
Paris Tonkar, Rue Chapon, Paris, France
Graffiti Art, Artistes Americains Et Francais, Paris, France
1990
Artists Against Racial Prejudice, Clock Tower Gallery, New York, NY
Expressive Drawings, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
Pop in the 90s, Paul Sorota Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Art Jonction International, Nice, France
Black & White in color gallery, Bronx, NY
1989
Art for The Ego, B2, New York, NY
The Love of Print Making, Goddard Riverside Community Center, New York, NY
The Center Show Gay and Lesbian Community Center, New York, NY
Dealers Choice Virginia Miller Gallery, Coral Gables, FL
At The Wall, Nassavischer Kunstverien, Wiesbaden - travelled to Heidelberger Kunstervine, Gemeentemuseum, Helmond, The Netherlands
Selections From Permanent Collection, Museum of American Graffiti, New York, NY
Collection Norman Dubrow, Groningen Museum, The Netherlands
1988
New York Observed, Frank Bernidduci Gallery, New York, NY
Art of the 80’s, Saatchi & Saatchi Building, New York, NY
Art of the 90’s, Dilaurenti Gallery, New York, NY
Tamara Bane Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Bronx Celebrates People & Places Lehman College, Bronx, NY
Black & White in Color, Bronx, NY
New, Used and Improved, Robert Berman Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
Immoral & Illegal, Tunnel, New York, NY
2042 Art at the Speed of Light, Limelight, New York, NY
Sammlung Thomas, Munich, Germany
Group Show, Nite Gallery, New York, NY
The Best of the East Village, Nassau County Museum of Art, Roslyn Harbor, NY
1987
Melee, Franklin Furnace, Brooklyn, NY
MARC BRASZ w/CRASH & DAZE, Bronx Museum, NY
Expressions African Fashion MODA, Bronx, NY
1986
Benefit for the Poetry Project, St. Marks Church, New York, NY
Strange Brew, Chronocide Gallery, New York, NY
Fashion MODA Benefit Art Sale, et Industrie, New York NY
Masterworks of the Eighties, Carl Solway Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
Illuminations, the Art of Our Future, Art et Industrie & Arts Dolores Neumann, New York, NY
Graffiti Art for the Collector, Gallery Int l 52, New York, NY
Six Giants (Collaborative Works) Fashion MODA, Bronx, NY
Fine & Functional Art, Art et Industrie, New York, NY
The 14, Eastman-Wahmendor, New York, NY
1985
Fredrick R. Weisman Foundation of Art, Tel Aviv Museum, Tel Aviv, Israel
Zeitgenosisische Kunst, Raimund Thomas Gallery, Munich, Germany
Anniottanta, Galeria Communale d’Arte Moderna, Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Aesthetic Awareness, Eastman-Wahmendorf Gallery, New York, NY
The South Bronx Art Show, Fashion MODA, Bronx, NY
Summer Drawing Show, Semaphore EAST, New York NY
Democracy at Work, 22 Wooster St., New York, NY
The Emancipated Letter - Four Strategies, Studio Carrieri, Martina Franka, Italy
Coast to Coast, Gallery One, Fort Worth, TX
ARCO 85, Sidney Janis Presents Graffiti, Madrid, Spain
1984
Of the Street, University of Colorado, Boulder, traveled to Aspen Contemporary Art Center, Aspen Language, Concept, Art, Studio Carrieri, Martina Franka, Italy
Double Vision Urban Landscapes, Semaphore EAST, New York, NY
Szene New York 1984, Art Cologne, 19th Int, l Art Fair, Cologne, Germany
Graffiti, Mark Twain South County Bank, St. Louis, MO
Graffiti, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark
Aspekte Amerikanischer Kunst der Gegenwart, Neue Galerie, Ludwig Collection, Aacvhen – traveled to Nordjylands Kunstmuseum, Aalborg; Henie-Onstad Art Center, Hobikodden; Mitterirheinisches Landesmuseum, Mainz, Stadtische Galeries-Schloss Oberhausen, Oberhausen, Germany
Graffiti/High Artists & Classical Artists, Galerie Thomas, Munich, Germany
BO-NY-TO!, Galleria Pellegrino, Bologna, Italy
Chill Out New York - Summer 1984 Kenkeleba House, NY
Art 15 '84, Basel Art Fair, Sidney Janis presents Graffiti, Switzerland
Art Attack, Kamikaze, NY
Graffiti, Makler Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
New Portrait, P.S. 1, Institute for Art & Urban Resources, Long Island City, NY
Arte de Frontiera - NY Graffiti, Galerie d’Arte Moderna, Bologna, Italy
1983
Post-Graffiti, Sidney Janis Gallery, New York, NY
Newcastle Salutes New York, Newcastle, United Kingdom
Graffiti Thanks a Lot, FUN Gallery, New York, NY
The FUN Gallery Presents, Gallery 121, Antwerp, Belgium
Graffiti Magic, MJS International Gallery, Fort Worth, TX
HALLWALLS, Buffalo, NY
1982
New York Graffiti Show, Stewart Neill Gallery, New York, NY
Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA
Collaborative Arts Show, Chicago, IL (travelled)
South Bronx Art Show, Fashion MODA, Bronx, NY
1981
Beyond Words, Mudd Club, New York, NY
South Bronx Art Show, Fashion MODA, Bronx, NY
Awards & Grants
2016
Artist in Residency at Jardin Rouge, Marrakech, Morocco
Artist in Residency at UV Studios, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2015
Yale University Art Gallery Artist in Residence, New Haven, CT
Villa Lena Artist in Residence, Toiano, Italy
2014
Edward E. Elson Artist in Residence Program, Addison Gallery of American Art at the Phillip Academy, Andover, MA
Fountain Head Residency, Miami, FL
2011
Recipient of smART power grant, US Department of State, Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY
Public Works
2016
Mural for Coney Island Art Walls, Curated by Jeffrey Deitch and Joseph J. Stitt, Brooklyn, NY
Cycloptic Merman, Community mural with Thrive Collective, Brooklyn, NY
Mural with Crash for Welling Court Mural Project, Long Island City, NY
Mural with Tats Cru and Crash for Bushwick Collective, Brooklyn, NY
Mural with Thrive Collective for P.S./M.S. 042 Robert Vernam School, Far Rockaway, NY
Mural for Magic City Traveling Exhibition, Dresden, Germany
Mural for TAG Public Arts Project, Bronx, NY
Youth workshop with LEAP Arts Program, New York, NY
Art consultant for Baz Luhrmann’s Netflix series, “The Get Down”
Presentation for Timarchi 2016, Mar del Plata, Argentina
Billboard designs with Crash for Netflix series “The Get Down”
2015
Mural at CityArts.org, Long Island City, NY
Paix, mural with students from for the Academy for Peace and Justice, Port au Prince, Haiti
Mural for Coney Island Art Walls, curated by Jeffrey Deitch Joseph J. Stitt, Brooklyn, NY
Portrait of April, Rochester Dreams and wall with FUA Crew for Wall Therapy, Rochester, NY
Life Below, mural with students from 20/20 Schools mural program, Brooklyn, NY
Freedom of Speech mural for Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT
Mural with students from local school in Palaia, Italy
PAZ logo for UNICEF
Youth workshop with LEAP Arts Program, New York, NY
Rebirth mural with TATS Cru, Yonkers, NY
2014
Youth workshops with the Museum of the City of New York, NY
Youth workshop with LEAP Arts Program, New York, NY
Mural inside Sobel/Dunn residence
Murals for Museum of Public Art, Baton Rouge, LA
Mural in collaboration with students from Eden Park School Summer Youth Employment Program, Baton Rouge, LA
2013
Murals with Os Gemeos, ISE, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Children’s workshop for the Brooklyn Friends School
Children’s workshop with the LEAP Arts Program
Collaborative mural on Riker’s Island, Queens, NY
Promotional paintings commissioned by Departure’s Magazine for Grand Mariner
Beyond the Horizon mural for Wall Therapy, Rochester, NY
Live Painting Event for the Museum of the City of New York, New York, NY
2012
Murals with TATS Cru, Bronx, NY
Mural for Wynwood Walls Project, Miami, FL
Mural in Miami, FL
Flying Murals, Wynwood Art Fair, Miami, FL
smART Power murals in collaboration with four schools and Zero Inspiracion, Quito, Ecuador
Murals in Quito, Ecuador
Workshop with Leap Art Program kids, New York, NY
2011
Murals with TATS Cru, Bronx, NY
Mural for Wynwood Gates Project, Miami, FL
2010
Mural for VivoCity Shopping Center, Singapore
Bad Behavior, Lit bar, NY Collaborative, NY
Murals with TATS Cru and Crash, Bronx, NY
“Infolution” painting for Gwacheon National Science Museum, Seoul, South Korea
Lecture at Bronx Museum w/ John Ahearn, Joe Conzo, Rockafella and Kwik Step
2009
Murals in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo Brazil, Brazil
2008
Murals in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Porto Allegre, Brazil
Mural at the home of Dr. Thomas Shang, Las Vegas, NV
2007
Murals in Rio de Janeiro for Fabulous Disordens Show
“Wild Style Painting” with Revolt and Pink for VH1 Hip Hop Honors
Set design consultant for “Brooklyn to Manhattan” film production
2006
Murals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Set design for John Mayer’s “Change the World” video
Set design for VH1’s “White Rapper Show”
Set design for “Kidnapped” television show
Painting with How and Nosm for Joga Bonita Nike campaign
2005
Progressive Arts Alliance, Artists in Residency Program with Mode Two, Mural at Public Theater, Workshops at Shaw High School and Hathaway Brown School, Cleveland, OH
Murals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Getting Up block party event for Ecko Unlimited, New York, NY
Getting Up block party event for Ecko Unlimited, Toronto, Canada
2004
Murals in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Super Mercado de Hip Hop, Murals, Lecture and Workshops for Hutuz Festival, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Boot Stories, commissioned painting for Timberland Inc., Milan, Italy
Mural for Dreamland Artist Club, Creative Time, Coney Island, NY
Mural with Pink for Komospolite Festival, Paris, France
2003
Murals in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with Os Gemeos, Fleshbeck Crew, Binho
Mural for the Martin Wong Foundation, James Munroe High School, Bronx, NY
Mural for Altoids Inc, with West One, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
2001
Youth workshop at the Juxtaposition Studio Arts (with Crash) Minneapolis, MN
Large scale mural with Crash and the Juxtaposition Youth Workshop Minneapolis, MN
Murals with Os Gemeos in Sao Paolo, Brazil
Murals with TATS Cru and Crash, Bronx, NY
Youth Workshop with the Kids from the Urban Art Project, Kreuzlingen, Switzerland
Large scale murals with Kids from the Urban art Project, Kreuzlingen, Switzerland
1999
Collaborative mural with Youth Center, Feldkirch, Austria
1998
Murals in Basel, Switzerland, Florence, Italy, and New York, NY
1997
Mural, Bienniale de Lyon, Lyon, France
Lecture for Studio in a School, Newark Museum, Newark, NJ
1996
Mural, "Homes and the Homeless", Prospect Family Inn, Bronx, NY
Mural, "Mothers on the Move", Bronx, NY
Lecture at Lehman College
ARTDAZE, Program with Children at Aldrich Museum, Ridgefield, CT
1995
Sets for Native American, a play by Rick Balians
Murals, South Bronx, NY
Painted 8 foot by 24-foot mural for New York University, Queens, NY
Animation segment for Mirage, Inc.
15 Years Above Ground Portfolio
Lecture at Hofstra University
Lecture at Bronx Museum
New York-Hanover Urban Art Project (with Crash and Lee), Hanover, Germany
1994
Mural, St. John Lutheran Church, collaborative mural with children from St. John Lutheran Church, Bronx, NY
The Bronx Zoo, Collaborative mural with Crash and Lee, Bronx, NY
1993
Creative Arts Workshop, Collaborative mural and workshop, Bronx, NY
Mural, Star Ferry Terminal, Hong Kong
1992
Commissioned to paint Local Buses for the city of Groningen, The Netherlands
1991
Mural in the home of Peter Tunney
T-Shirts designs for editions G.D.L., France
1990
Painted Caravans for Traveling Exhibition for Europe
1988
Painted Backdrops for Rap Group "Velore & Double O"® Australian Tour (with Phase 2)
Commissioned Mural for Citibank, Castle Hill, Bronx, NY
1986
THE MISSION, limited edition book published by APPEARANCES PRESS
1985
Mural on The Berlin Wall Two Studies of Conflict
1984
Collaborative Outdoor Mural Installation at the Basel Art Fair, Basel, Switzerland
1983
Outdoor Mural: Houston & Bowery, NY
1982
Outdoor Murals: Brook & 147th, Bronx, NY
Brook & 146th, Bronx, NY
WILD STYLE, movie
1981
STYLE WARS, Documentary, Henry Chalfant & Tony Silver, NY
Twyla Tharp Dance Troupe at Winter Garden Theater, 8 backdrops: live paint performance, NY
Select Collections
Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
Groninger Museum, Groningen, The Netherlands
Ludwig Museum, Köln, Germany
Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
Museum of the City of New York, New York, NY
Select Bibliography
2023
Madey, Candice, et al. Luxe, Calme, Volupté. SJ Weiler Press; Candice Madey New York, 2023. Illus. pp. 92.
2021
Huang, Kathy, and Viola Angiolini. “DAZE.” City As Studio, K11 Art Foundation, Hong Kong, 2021. Illus. pp. 141–151.
2019
Sgarbi, Vittorio, et al. DAZE Seasons: Mural - Last Works. Enrico Coveri, 2019.
2016
Ellis, Chris DAZE. DazeWorld. Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 2016.
2007
Ahearn, Charlie. Wild Style The Sampler, 1st ed., powerHouse Books, Brooklyn, NY, 2007. Illus. pp. 91, 109, 112.
2002
Music Project Oral History of Hip-Hop’s First Decade, Yes Yes Y’all, De Capo Press, 2002. Illus. pp. 276–277.
Chris "Daze" Ellis
The Explorers, 2021
spray paint, acrylic on canvas
96 x 108 ins.
243.8 x 274.3 cm
Chris "Daze" Ellis
Is this seat taken?, 2020
spray paint, acrylic on canvas
51 x 53 ins.
129.5 x 134.6 cm
Chris "Daze" Ellis
Chambers Street, 2018
oil, spray paint, acrylic, glitter, pumice on canvas
50 x 40 ins.
127 x 101.6 cm
Chris "Daze" Ellis
Jackson Heights, 2017
oil, acrylic, spray paint on canvas
60 x 60 ins.
152.4 x 152.4 cm
Chris "Daze" Ellis
Reflections in a Golden Eye, 1992
oil, spray paint, mixed media on canvas and wood
58 x 105 ins.
147.3 x 266.7 cm
Chris "Daze" Ellis
Untitled (City), 1984
spray paint, acrylic, collage on canvas
68 x 68 ins.
172.7 x 172.7 cm
Hip-hop’s street artists created a splashy new genre that burst into galleries and museums
NB: Can you share the origin of your name, Daze?
Daze: The origin story is funny and typical. It's very important to choose a name that will define you as you continue on; a name that no one else has at the same time.
In conjunction with Chris "Daze" Ellis’ Give It All You Got at the gallery and Pat Phillips’ Consumer Reports at Jeffrey Deitch, New York, P·P·O·W presented a virtual panel discussion between Ellis and Phillips moderated by curator and scholar Rich Blint, who wrote the catalogue essay for Ellis’ exhibition.
His paintings at the contemporary gallery PPOW are a bridge to his train-tagging days and a paean to Bronx street life.
On view this month in New York, P·P·O·W has compiled a body of new works by Christopher “Daze” Ellis, the longtime graffiti writer and painter who came up among a new generation of taggers who began their work during the late 1970’s, and who would be among those who earned early recognition by the New York gallery scene during the 1980’s. Combining a selection of significant works from the 1980s and early 1990s with a series of new paintings and sculptures, Give It All You Got chronicles a lifelong dedication to portraying the lifeforce of New York City and commemorating those who were a part of what it once was.
Chris DAZE Ellis' paintings seem to be born out a dream. His trainyards, subways and graffiti history are seeped into each work, but the way he executes it reminds us of how we deal with our own memories. Some works are crystal clear landscapes of a NYC of the past, while some are blurred with very little figurative representation coming from beneath the spray. It's as if DAZE is remembering some parts of his past with an utter clarity, and some of his past life is fading away. The result is a stunning new show, Give It All You Got, on view now at PPOW in NYC.
P·P·O·W presented a virtual panel discussion between Brooklyn-based artist Aaron Gilbert; American graffiti artist and friend of Martin Wong, Chris Daze Ellis; and scholar, writer, and curator Rich Blint in conjunction with 1981-2021, the two-person exhibition featuring Gilbert and the late Chinese-American painter Martin Wong.
