'3RD Dimension' An exhibition of Graffiti Sculpture - 4 July - 3 September

 Graffiti is and has always been about style and innovation; constantly trying to do something different and better than the other guy, developing your own signature look and claiming the space.

Perhaps then, it was just a matter of time before Graffiti culture looked for more than 2 dimensions - to claim the space in a different way and take it to another level.

It is with great pleasure that Rising Styles,in association with the University of Brighton, presents 3RD DIMENSION, the UK’s first ever exhibition of Graffiti Sculpture.

For this historic exhibition we have chosen three pioneering artists:

Legendary Mare 139 from New York.

The UK’s most respected writers to start experimenting in sculptural Graffiti,Zeus.

One of the most talented young 3D Graffiti artists and designers to emerge from Britain in recent years, Matt Harriman.

Mare 139

From his early days as a writer in 1970’s New York, Mare aka Carlos Mare 139 Rodriguez has always been known for evolving and innovating his style demonstrating an eagerness to draw influences both from the street and from the abstract imagination of modern art.

Master of perhaps the most recognisable form of Graffiti design, the ‘Wildstyle’; the young Mare became more widely known throughout the world through documents such as Henry Chalfant's landmark 1982 film Style Wars.

Whilst early in his career, still throwing up burners on parked trains under the cover of darkness, the untutored teenage graffiti artist attended the large retrospective Picasso show at the New York Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). Duly inspired, he quickly developed an instantly recognisable style amongst his peers mixing components of colours, designs, fades, arrows and pumps gradually coalesced into a quasi three dimensional form.

Mare 139 saw the possibilities in taking a sculptural approach and was amongst Graffiti artists to start applying his naturally sensibility to actual three dimensional pieces moving from the illusion of depth in painting to concrete and metal forms in sculpture, often exploring variations on the arrow a symbol used in Graffiti to suggest movement and direction.

Mare 139 – Residency

Despite showing around the world, Mare’s work has rarely been seen in the UK and we are very proud to say that Mare has agreed to be Rising Styles’ first ever Artist In Residence.

For one week, Mare will be working in this space to create a one off, entirely new sculpture that will draw inspiration from the city of Brighton. The evolving work will be open for the public to view, providing a unique opportunity to see and engage in the creative process from start to finish.

Zeus
Zeus is London born artist Dean Zeus Colman. Captivated by the Hip Hop scene of the 80's he began expressing his creative talents on the streets when he was 14. Zeus's career began when his widespread tag was spotted by Tim Westwood who commissioned him to create designs for one of the first Hip Hop clubs, Spatz, in 1984.

In 1996, Zeus was the first ever Graffiti artists exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum. He went on to exhibit and win commissions around the world working across artforms, including designing for Garrards (the Crown jewellers). 
Without doubt, the pioneer and leading British graffiti inspired sculptor and 3D artist, Zues has constantly been at the forefront of the scene, pushing it forward and breaking the mould of what a Graffiti artist can do.

From intricate 3D perspective paintings to bugged out light boxes, perspex and metal sculpture inspired by Graffiti typography, Zeus has become an artist who is clearly determined to experiment with materials, shapes and graffiti convention, begging the question - why have a tag, when you can have a monument?

Matt Harriman


Though still young, Matt has rapidly established himself as a significant new talent on the Graffiti scene as a talented new spray-can artist, conceptual designer and graffiti inspired sculptor.

Now based in London, Matt first exposed his talent for sculpture when he exhibited some his very first 3D pieces, using perspective at the 2006 Art of Hip Hop exhibition, here in Brighton (as part of Brighton Hip Hop Festival aka Rising Styles).
A remarkable exhibition in itself, with a number of extraordinary pieces from some of the UK’s top Graffiti artists – Matt’s sculptured perspex piece was one of the exhibits that clearly stood out and invited your intention with it’s angular, yet organic flow.

Colours ‘explode’ out of his work, producing some of the most visceral, imaginative and complex pieces that typically demand both close inspection and a long-range perspective to fully take in the experience. Just two years after that first exposure Matt has gone on to develop his ideas utlising a range of materials, growing in both ambition and scale, abundant with ideas and stimulus.

Closed 27th July - 7th August