Hebru Brantley’s comic book–style mixed-media paintings center on two young protagonists: curious, empowered kids called FlyBoy and Lil Mama. Defining himself as an Afrofuturist, Brantley draws from a range of influences including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Chicago’s AfriCOBRA collective, African American history, hip-hop, anime, manga, and his own experiences of African American and urban life in the United States. He participated in the 1990s graffiti scene, tagging trains, walls, and other city surfaces. 

Hebru Brantley’s comic book–style mixed-media paintings center on two young protagonists: curious, empowered kids called FlyBoy and Lil Mama. Defining himself as an Afrofuturist, Brantley draws from a range of influences including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Chicago’s AfriCOBRA collective, African American history, hip-hop, anime, manga, and his own experiences of African American and urban life in the United States. He participated in the 1990s graffiti scene, tagging trains, walls, and other city surfaces. 

Hebru Brantley’s comic book–style mixed-media paintings center on two young protagonists: curious, empowered kids called FlyBoy and Lil Mama. Defining himself as an Afrofuturist, Brantley draws from a range of influences including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Chicago’s AfriCOBRA collective, African American history, hip-hop, anime, manga, and his own experiences of African American and urban life in the United States. He participated in the 1990s graffiti scene, tagging trains, walls, and other city surfaces. 

Pioneering French graffiti artist Blek Le Rat counts the infamous Banksy among his many admirers. Using stencils instead of stylized lettering for graffiti, Blek was one of the first true street artists. Originally known for stenciling a giant graphic image of a rat all over Paris, which to him symbolized both freedom and the dissemination of art through the city as if it were the plague, in recent years Blek’s work has become more political, focusing on the homeless, the environment, and other social causes.

Pioneering French graffiti artist Blek Le Rat counts the infamous Banksy among his many admirers. Using stencils instead of stylized lettering for graffiti, Blek was one of the first true street artists. Originally known for stenciling a giant graphic image of a rat all over Paris, which to him symbolized both freedom and the dissemination of art through the city as if it were the plague, in recent years Blek’s work has become more political, focusing on the homeless, the environment, and other social causes.

KAWS, born Brian Donnelly, straddles the worlds of art and design with a prolific body of work that ranges from paintings, murals, and large-scale sculptures to merchandise, furniture, and toys. Much of it centers on Companion, a depressed Mickey Mouse–like character with X’s for eyes. KAWS got his start as a street artist in the late ’90s. KAWS embraces frequent brand collaborations and addresses the intersection of art and commerce with a playful sense of humor. His work has fetched eight figures on the secondary market.

Pioneering French graffiti artist Blek Le Rat counts the infamous Banksy among his many admirers. Using stencils instead of stylized lettering for graffiti, Blek was one of the first true street artists. Originally known for stenciling a giant graphic image of a rat all over Paris, which to him symbolized both freedom and the dissemination of art through the city as if it were the plague, in recent years Blek’s work has become more political, focusing on the homeless, the environment, and other social causes.

Pioneering French graffiti artist Blek Le Rat counts the infamous Banksy among his many admirers. Using stencils instead of stylized lettering for graffiti, Blek was one of the first true street artists. Originally known for stenciling a giant graphic image of a rat all over Paris, which to him symbolized both freedom and the dissemination of art through the city as if it were the plague, in recent years Blek’s work has become more political, focusing on the homeless, the environment, and other social causes.

Pioneering French graffiti artist Blek Le Rat counts the infamous Banksy among his many admirers. Using stencils instead of stylized lettering for graffiti, Blek was one of the first true street artists. Originally known for stenciling a giant graphic image of a rat all over Paris, which to him symbolized both freedom and the dissemination of art through the city as if it were the plague, in recent years Blek’s work has become more political, focusing on the homeless, the environment, and other social causes.