Graffiti is a distinct group within the Ludwig Collection in Aachen, consisting of works by artists discovered in the mid-seventies, when they still sprayed their tags, blow ups and pieces illegally, on walls and trains. The irrepressible rise of the graffiti movement began in the early eighties, and even marked the front rank of the international art scene for a short time. Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kenny Scharf and Keith Haring integrated the techniques and motifs of graffiti art into their paintings. Peter Ludwig purchased a portfolio of graffiti works in 1984, and in the following five years he added pieces by about twenty of the best known writers, which he bought from various galleries in New York, among them the Sidney Janis. The artists represented in the Ludwig Collection include A-One (Antony Clark), Crash (John Matos), Daze (Chris “Daze” Ellis), Lady Pink (Sandra Fabara), Noc 167 (Melvin Samuels, Jr.) and Toxic (Torrick Ablack).
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New Acquisitions – Rarely Seen Works 13. March, 2009 – 14. June
The Ludwig Museum possesses a relatively small yet internationally significant collection of over 400 contemporary artworks. As the museum’s permanent exhibition is only able to show a small portion of the collection, we make an effort to present a fresh selection from time to time.