Artist: PART
Hearts, 2007, 11 x 14 in., Marker on paper

PART ONE is a veteran of the golden years of New York City subway painting and considered a style master in the graffiti world specializing in his own brand of lettering which he started to develop in 1974. From 1974 – 1985 he was one of the most accomplished artists on the New York City subway trains, in 1985 he took a brief hiatus from painting only to return in 1990 as a leading figure in the re-emergence of wild style pieces in murals in Harlem. His art has been featured in the classic film Style Wars as well as the critically acclaimed book, Martha Cooper’s Hip Hop Files, and most recently the books, Burning New York, and Graffiti Planet. PART is active today painting both on canvas and on walls around the world. He was most recently the featured artist at Kosmopolite, the international graffiti event, in Paris in 2006.

The work on display was part of the exhibition Part One - recent works, at the Tuff City Gallery in the Bronx, New York. It was on display until March 30th, 2008.

PART ONE (Enrique Torres) has the reputation of being one of the early graffiti style writing pioneers that created some of the most brilliant art works on New York City’s subway trains. However, subway trains are just one of the many surfaces that he has used as canvas.

From 1974 to 1985, PART showcased his detailed letters and pioneering style on the subway trains. He worked out of his home neighborhood of El Barrio, traveling far and wide to paint the subway lines that called his and other painter’s attention. Always looking for “a good spot” was his drive and the chances of pulling out a great work of art always sealed the deal.

Places like Harlem and other poor neighborhoods in New York were the perfect place for artists like PART to develop his talked about style. Subway tunnels were used as meeting grounds and essential to the growing movement.

The art on display shows the creative spirit of the Queens Bridge resident and how his letter styles have evolved over the past three decades. He has re-created drawings from his days painting the number 4 train in 1976, drawings from his time on the 5 train in 1978, and of course his modern wild style drawings. These drawings show not only his mastery over letters but also his advanced coloring and blending process. His paintings range from abstract to landscapes that depict his family’s homeland of Puerto Rico to wild style pieces that fly off the canvas with electric energy.

More than thirty years after his start PART continues to produce art that matters in a genre where the youth typically are at the forefront. Clearly, with the amount of work on display both in this show and in the streets around the world, PART, is more than just relevant, he’s the one to watch.

“Part1 TDS is a highly regarded master of the art and has laid the foundation and has influenced a whole generation from TMT, CIA, RTW, ROC, TDS, TC5, FC and many more to this day! There is not one Style Master who has not been influenced by his works over the years. Kel1st and I have been profoundly shaped by his work over the years. I’m so glad that finally he will get some light and we will discover his genius and contribution.” -Mare 139

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