Keon

“Old Timers Day” on 215th Street: Bom 5, Part One, Snake 1, King 2, Sharp, Frank Del Toro, Break Uno, Staff 161, Comet, Braze One, Ira 1, Ree, Cose, Charmin 65, Mike 171, T-Kid, Rocky 184, Keon, Clyde & More

September 17, 2026

Earlier this month, Inwood’s annual Old Timers Day once again brought legendary, pioneering NYC writers—along with their guests, friends and fans—to 215th Street, just off the 1 train. Featured above is veteran graffiti writer and b-boy Bom 5 breaking in front of his freshly painted piece, as captured by urban photographer Richard Alicea. Several more images from the multifaceted production follow:

First-generation style master Part One, TDS

NYC-based Japanese graffiti writer and muralist Shiro One shares her iconic character, Mimi, with her mentors

Pioneering writer Snake 1 to the left of Shiro, and first generation subway writer KING 2 (Hodgee) below 

1980s subway graffiti pioneer and abstract calligraphic artist Sharp

    Subway graffiti pioneer Frank Del Toro and graffiti icon Break Uno below the legendary Ebony Dukes  founder Staff 161 

Pioneering subway king Comet, Staten Island-based classic writer Braze One and more

First-generation New York City subway graffiti pioneer Ree, veteran graffiti writers Ira 1 and Cose TDS & Sweden-born Scratch 

Legendary graffiti pioneers Charmin 65, Mike 171, T-Kid, Rocky 184, Keon, Clyde and the late Lava (preserved)

Mike 171, Rocky 184 and  Brooklyn-based documentarian Karen Merz

Photo credits: 1, 3, 5 & 10 © Richard Alicea; 2, 4, 6 & 9 Lois Stavsky and 7 & 8 Sara C. Mozeson

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Graffiti Pioneers in East New York, Brooklyn: Ex Vandals 2il, Keon, Panic Rodriguez, Clyde and Gap RNS

December 8, 2020

While exploring the streets on and off Atlantic Avenue in the East New York section of Brooklyn this past Sunday, I came upon a wall of classic graffiti painted by several members of the long-running, Brooklyn-born Ex Vandals crew. Pictured above is veteran style master 2il taking a brief break from his work in progress.  Several more images follow:

Old school graffiti artist Keon

Multimedia artist Panic Rodriguez does Kanye West with classic graffiti writer Clyde to his right

And graffiti veteran Gap RNS at work

Much respect to these pioneers who paved the way to so many–

Photos credit: Lois Stavsky

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Up In Inwood With: Panic, Ree, Clyde, Keon, Rocky 184, Sound7, Ses, Lava, Snake 188 and More

February 4, 2020

The walls up in Inwood — home to veteran NYC writers and their guests — are a treasure trove of graffiti and graffiti history.  The image featured above was painted by native New Yorker Panic Rodriguez, who grew up writing graffiti in the 80’s. Several more images that Ana Candelaria and I captured this past Sunday follow:

Bronx-bred, Jersey City-based  Ree Vilomar 

Classic Bronx-bred writer Clyde

Veteran Uptown writers Keon and Rocky 184

Bronx-based TC5 crew member Sound7

Devils of Graffiti member Ses, who — according to my research — recently passed  

Legendary Old School writers Lava, Tony 164 and Snake 188 with (what looks like) Oops1 on top 

All of these walls can be found on and off 10th Avenue between 207th Street and 2016th Streets, off the 1 line.

Photo credits: 1-3 & 7 Ana Candelaria; 4-6 Lois Stavsky

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Veteran Writers on a Graffiti Mission in Bushwick: Checker 170, Styx, Ghetto 149, Keon, Chris 217, Mark 198 and more

May 31, 2015

Checker170

Mission Graffiti arrived in Bushwick earlier this month featuring several veteran writers who generally paint in Upper Manhattan and in the Bronx. Here are a few images of their wall in progress:

Styx and Ghetto 149 at work

styx-ghetto-graffiti-NYC

Keon at work

Keon-graffiti-bushwick-nyc

Airbrush and tattoo artist Israel Garcia and his character join the writers

"Izzy Graffiti character"

The crew

"Mission Graffiti"

And a few of the completed pieces — along with shout-outs to the original Mission Graffiti writers — that we captured this past week:

Checker170-mission-graffiti-

Chris 217

Chris217-mission-graffiti-Bushwick-NYC

Mark 198

Mark 198

Note: First photo features Checker 170 

Photos: 1-5 Dani Reyes Mozeson; 6 Tara Murray; 7 Lois Stavsky and 8. City-As-School intern Diana Davidova

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