ART | Godfather of Graffiti SEEN presents solo exhibition in Hong Kong | Cut and Copy

I was thrilled when my blogging partner Jin from Style on Pottinger invited me to the vernissage of SEEN's solo exhibition at the Opera Gallery last Tuesday.

SEEN, also known as Richard Mirando, gained the respect of New York urbanites with his infamous whole train panel-pieces created together with his crew United Artists. His notoriety lies in his prolific works around town, having painted more pieces than there are billboards by the early 1980s.

By the late 1980s, Mirando transferred these striking images onto canvas which were highly coveted amongst the public. What was once considered vandalism has now become a legitimate form of art.

SEEN's latest exhibition revolves around the concept of superheroes juxtaposed with expressive strokes of paint synonymous with graffiti.

On why he chose this specific theme to work with, he remarks, "I grew up with superheroes and cartoons. All these characters are part of my life; I consider them my friends."

"... as far as I remember, my mum used to put me in front of the television, in the 60s, to keep me busy and quiet. My first favourite cartoons were all the Hannah-Barberas, where you could meet everybody from Top Cat, Scooby-Doo, George Jetson, The Flinstones, Jonny Quest, etc... I was already fascinated by all those characters as a kid and when I started drawing/painting, I naturally used them as a model."

Separated into two levels, the Opera Gallery was buzzing with champagne and an appearance by none other than the artist himself. Anyone remotely interested in comics or graffiti should make it a priority to see this amazing body of work. I guarantee you it's an exhibition not to be missed!