Cope2 (1968) - No Parking (2017)

Cope2 (Fernando Carlo, 1968) - No Parking (2017)

Acrylic paint, markers and spray on metal panel “No Parking” by N.Y.
Original work signed and hand-dated on the back

Panel dimensions: 45x30 cm Frame dimensions: 54x44 cm

Cope2 (Fernando Carlo, his real name) is a graffiti artist who has managed to leave a lasting mark in New York with his art and creativity. He has been painting since 1978; his works are present in galleries, in collections, but above all on walls around the world. Cope2 is known as the ambassador of New York graffiti and today remains an iconic figure in graffiti culture. A Bronx native, born in 1968, this Puerto Rican by birth has marked New York City with his tag since the 1980s. Before being recognized as Cope2, he was involved in various drug traffics and faced street violence. He is part of the KD and TNB crews.

More than a legend, a myth. A living dinosaur of New York street art, Cope2 is a global celebrity. Graffiti artists from around the world regularly arrive at JFK Airport to paint alongside the master.

Despite his confirmed fame, the child of South Bronx has never forgotten where he comes from. Originating from NYC’s most high-risk neighborhoods, Cope2 has for more than thirty years claimed his unwavering integrity as a street artist.
A tireless tagger-and-builder of the labyrinths of urbanism, he remains the emblematic figure of militant graffiti.
As when he chose to crusade against the city-clean operation of the New York mayor in the 1990s. His incessant bombing dealt a blow to the populist pretensions of the local politics parka.

His peers agree in recognizing him. Without Cope2, graffiti might not have a place in today’s Manhattan and its outskirts.

The one who draws without a sketch quickly caught the eye of talent scouts. His works are part of the finest collections across both hemispheres, and big capital has taken a keen interest in his case. Time Life, Converse, Adidas or Foot Locker come to him to boost their merchandise. The same goes for the heavyweight industries of video games and cinema.

His numerous collaborations with other artists (Shepard Fairey, Retna, Kenny Scharf, Mister Brainwash, ...) show how much his peers admire and respect him.

Cope2 does not spurn these bonuses and the accompanying social whirl that follows. If the street is where he truly feels at home, in recent years workshop work has become for him a real breath of fresh air that he inhales with relish for increasingly convincing results.