Bid now on this rare piece from the Subway Graffiti Series, a unique photographic print capturing the raw energy of New York City's subway system as documented by legendary urban culture photographer Henry Chalfant between 1977 and 1980 — signed by the artist in pencil on the verso. Henry Chalfant (b. 1940) is one of the most important chroniclers of hip-hop and graffiti culture in the world. His photographs are held in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh. He co-authored Subway Art — widely considered the definitive text on New York graffiti — as well as its global follow-up, Spraycan Art, and co-produced the landmark 1983 documentary Style Wars, which first aired on PBS in 1984. This particular print carries an additional layer of cultural distinction: it was hand-selected by celebrated graffiti artist Mare139 in 2011 for inclusion in a custom curated collection, lending it a provenance that bridges 2 generations of graffiti's most influential voices.
The panoramic format — measuring 6.5 inches tall by 30.5 inches wide — reflects Chalfant's signature approach to capturing the full sweep of painted subway cars in a single, cinematic frame.
Designated as a unique edition, this is a 1-of-a-kind work. Chalfant's photographs from this era are among the most sought-after documents of a pivotal moment in American art history, when the New York subway became an unlikely canvas for one of the 20th century's most vital creative movements.
Henry Chalfant Subway Graffiti Series 11

THE BDC USES COMMUNITY-BASED DOCUMENTARY PRACTICE AND EDUCATION TO EXPLORE VITAL ISSUES, STIMULATE CRITICAL THOUGHT, AND DRIVE SOCIAL CHANGE.
Learn more100% of the Net Proceeds (as defined in our Terms and FAQs) of the Hammer Price will go to a donor-advised fund (“DAF”) administered by Our Change Foundation, a third-party charitable entity contracted by Charitybuzz, which will then grant the funds, less fees, to The Bronx Documentary Center.