Futura formerly known as "Futura 2000" is an American
graffiti artist. He started to paint illegally on
New York's
subway in the early seventies, working with other artists such as
ALI. In the early eighties he showed with
Patti Astor at the Fun Gallery, along with
Keith Haring,
Jean-Michel Basquiat,
Richard Hambleton and
Kenny Scharf. Futura painted backdrops live on-stage for British
punk rock band
The Clash's 1981 European tour. More recently, he is a successful graphic
designer and
gallery artist. One of the most distinctive features of Futura's work is his
abstract approach to
graffiti art. While the primary focus, during the 1980s, of the majority of graffiti artists was lettering, Futura pioneered
abstract street art, which has since become more popular. Conversely, his aerosol strokes are regarded as different from those of his peers, as they are as thin as the fine lines achieved only through the use of an
airbrush.