Construction of Style

Construction of Style is a collaborative outdoor exhibition exploring the development of the modern graffiti artform, featuring work by Dawud Anyabwile (BrothaMan Comics), Sew SM, Imse, Saoka, Distort BAMC, Esteme, Busta, Rew, Diana Gonzalez, Efrain Herrera, and Kien Nguyen. The exhibition also pays homage to a crew of pioneering Philadelphia graffiti writers, including Cornbread, Cool Earl, Tity, Sub, Cone ICP, and Lewis.

The design process started in group brainstorming sessions, when the artists agreed to tell their own stories while highlighting graffiti as the main element. As the project moved forward, the artists fed off each other, borrowing colors, responding to each other’s choices, and making the wall feel cohesive.

Professor Amina Tawasil of Columbia University’s School of Anthropology, whose ethnographic field work focuses on graffiti writers in Philadelphia, New York City, and urban New Jersey, also created a guided audio tour exploring each artist’s graffiti journey, design process, and reflections on the finished work.

Listen to the Construction of Style audio tour below.

Construction of Style Audio Tour

1. Introduction by Professor Amina Tawasil

What you’re about to hear comes from Professor Tawasil’s interviews with the lead artists, meant to be experienced while you’re standing in front of each piece. Let’s begin.

2. A Tribute to the City by Saoka & Imse

Saoka and Imse designed this mural as a pair, inspired by their journey in Philadelphia and friends they’ve made along the way. Take a look at the street scene, find the tags, and see what else reveals itself in the artwork.

3. What’s Behind a Name by Esteme

Notice how Esteme’s piece is angled upward. Since Philly bus routes were important paths for graffiti writers, Esteme wanted them to come alive in three dimensions, showing how writers followed those routes to build a reputation.

4. From Sketchbook to City by Distort

If you’ve ever known a graffiti writer, you know that the black book is where it all starts. Distort described this image—the piece lifting out of the book and looming over the city below—as representing growth from something internal and private to something external and shared.

5. A Full-Course Meal by SEW

SEW’s piece is personal, depicting a photo albums filled with artwork by Philadelphia graffiti writers and artists SEW looked up to when he was first starting out. He hopes people who may not like graffiti can see it in a new light or feel inspired to create something of their own.

6. The Kid with the Smirk by Busta

That kid with a skateboard, graffiti t-shirt, and a little smirk in his eye is Busta as a child, or at least the spirit of him—representing any young person who gets pulled into this world and figures out how to fit in and leave a mark. Look for a tag for JK, a mentor of Busta, and Mutt Airbrush, where he got his start.

7. The Legends of Brewerytown by Dawud Anyabwile

The final wall of this exhibition honors a pioneering generation of graffiti writers. The mural, designed by Dawud Anyabwile and SEW, and painted by Efrain Herrera and Kien Nguyen, features portraits of Sub, Cornbread, and Cone ICP. Watch the documentaries below to learn how they developed their signature styles.

Construction of Style: Sub

Construction of Style: Cornbread

Construction of Style: Cone ICP