Chris “Daze” Ellis was born in Brooklyn in 1962 and grew up in a New York that was turbulent, energetic, and culturally alive. He entered the world of graffiti in 1976 while still a student at the High School of Art and Design. What began on the exterior of subway carriages quickly became one of the most significant artistic journeys to emerge from the city’s underground movement. Daze is one of the very few artists of his generation who made the rare leap from the tunnels to the studio, then on to galleries and museums across the world.
Reflections in Times Square”, 2012, by Chris “Daze” Ellis
By the early eighties his work was already gaining serious attention. His first group exhibition, “Beyond Words,” was held at the Mudd Club in 1981, placing him alongside Jean Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. One year later his first solo exhibition took place at Fashion Moda in the South Bronx, a vital alternative space that helped define the era. Shortly after, the Ludwig Museum in Aachen acquired several of his paintings for their permanent collection which cemented his position within the new wave of contemporary American artists.
Chris "Daze" Ellis, Disco Tunnel
Across the following decades Daze built an international career, showing work in Paris, Monte Carlo, Singapore, Florence, Beijing, and Buenos Aires. His paintings have appeared in major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Museum of the City of New York, The Brooklyn Museum, The Groninger Museum in the Netherlands, and the Ludwig Museum in Germany. His ability to translate the visual rhythm of subway graffiti into studio practice created a language that resonated far beyond New York.
“Queensborough Plaza”, 2012, Chris “Daze” Ellis, spray paint + acrylic on canvas
While Daze is known for his gallery and museum presence, he has remained grounded in public art. His murals span continents and decades. Notable works include a large scale mural for the Star Ferry Terminal in Hong Kong in 1993, the full design of a train station in Hannover with Lee and Crash in 1995, the Dreamland Social Club commission with Creative Time in 2004, and a major mural for Cleary Gottlieb in Washington DC in 2018. He also served as an art consultant on Baz Luhrmann’s Netflix series “The Get Down,” bringing authenticity to a story rooted in the birth of hip hop and graffiti.
Equally important is his long standing commitment to education. Since 1994 Daze has worked with students in New York, Seoul, Baton Rouge, Rio de Janeiro, Palaia, Port au Prince, and Andover. His workshops focus on creativity as communication, using art to help young people develop confidence and voice. His involvement with the Leap Arts Programme and Thrive Collective has become a meaningful part of his wider practice.
Daze’s work is not static. It reflects the city that shaped him, shifting between nostalgia, realism, and social commentary. His tunnel series, for example, uses shadow, colour, and distance to speak to the political atmosphere of recent years, offering a sense of hope within uncertainty. His studio practice is deeply personal too. He often describes it as a sanctuary and a place where he feels complete. This intimacy runs through his paintings which blend memory, observation, and New York’s changing identity.
Chris “Daze” Ellis, NYC subway carriage piece, 1980s
In recent years Daze has continued to push forward. His exhibitions at PPOW Gallery in 2018 and the Museum of the City of New York strengthen his ongoing relevance within contemporary art. Private collectors such as Madonna and Eric Clapton have acquired his work which further confirms his cultural impact. His monograph, “Dazeworld,” documents a career that spans more than thirty years and captures the evolution of an artist who never lost touch with where he came from.
Chris “Daze” Ellis, “New York’s Own” folded card, 1989
Today Daze continues to live and work in New York, painting, exhibiting, and collaborating with artists around the world. His commitment to growth, experimentation, and community places him among the most influential voices to emerge from graffiti culture. From the echo of the tunnels to the walls of major institutions, Daze remains a defining figure in the story of urban art.
D’Stassi Art is currently working closely with Daze on a project that we will be announcing soon. We are keeping details under wraps for now, but it will be a significant moment for anyone who follows his work or the history of New York graffiti. If you would like to be notified the moment we reveal more, you can sign up on our website to join the announcement list.
Chris “Daze” Ellis was born in Brooklyn in 1962 and grew up in a New York that was turbulent, energetic, and culturally alive. He entered the world of graffiti in 1976 while still a student at the High School of Art and Design. What began on the exterior of subway carriages quickly became one of the most significant artistic journeys to emerge from the city’s underground movement. Daze is one of the very few artists of his generation who made the rare leap from the tunnels to the studio, then on to galleries and museums across the world.
Reflections in Times Square”, 2012, by Chris “Daze” Ellis
By the early eighties his work was already gaining serious attention. His first group exhibition, “Beyond Words,” was held at the Mudd Club in 1981, placing him alongside Jean Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. One year later his first solo exhibition took place at Fashion Moda in the South Bronx, a vital alternative space that helped define the era. Shortly after, the Ludwig Museum in Aachen acquired several of his paintings for their permanent collection which cemented his position within the new wave of contemporary American artists.
Chris "Daze" Ellis, Disco Tunnel
Across the following decades Daze built an international career, showing work in Paris, Monte Carlo, Singapore, Florence, Beijing, and Buenos Aires. His paintings have appeared in major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Museum of the City of New York, The Brooklyn Museum, The Groninger Museum in the Netherlands, and the Ludwig Museum in Germany. His ability to translate the visual rhythm of subway graffiti into studio practice created a language that resonated far beyond New York.
“Queensborough Plaza”, 2012, Chris “Daze” Ellis, spray paint + acrylic on canvas
While Daze is known for his gallery and museum presence, he has remained grounded in public art. His murals span continents and decades. Notable works include a large scale mural for the Star Ferry Terminal in Hong Kong in 1993, the full design of a train station in Hannover with Lee and Crash in 1995, the Dreamland Social Club commission with Creative Time in 2004, and a major mural for Cleary Gottlieb in Washington DC in 2018. He also served as an art consultant on Baz Luhrmann’s Netflix series “The Get Down,” bringing authenticity to a story rooted in the birth of hip hop and graffiti.
Equally important is his long standing commitment to education. Since 1994 Daze has worked with students in New York, Seoul, Baton Rouge, Rio de Janeiro, Palaia, Port au Prince, and Andover. His workshops focus on creativity as communication, using art to help young people develop confidence and voice. His involvement with the Leap Arts Programme and Thrive Collective has become a meaningful part of his wider practice.
Daze’s work is not static. It reflects the city that shaped him, shifting between nostalgia, realism, and social commentary. His tunnel series, for example, uses shadow, colour, and distance to speak to the political atmosphere of recent years, offering a sense of hope within uncertainty. His studio practice is deeply personal too. He often describes it as a sanctuary and a place where he feels complete. This intimacy runs through his paintings which blend memory, observation, and New York’s changing identity.
Chris “Daze” Ellis, NYC subway carriage piece, 1980s
In recent years Daze has continued to push forward. His exhibitions at PPOW Gallery in 2018 and the Museum of the City of New York strengthen his ongoing relevance within contemporary art. Private collectors such as Madonna and Eric Clapton have acquired his work which further confirms his cultural impact. His monograph, “Dazeworld,” documents a career that spans more than thirty years and captures the evolution of an artist who never lost touch with where he came from.
Chris “Daze” Ellis, “New York’s Own” folded card, 1989
Today Daze continues to live and work in New York, painting, exhibiting, and collaborating with artists around the world. His commitment to growth, experimentation, and community places him among the most influential voices to emerge from graffiti culture. From the echo of the tunnels to the walls of major institutions, Daze remains a defining figure in the story of urban art.
D’Stassi Art is currently working closely with Daze on a project that we will be announcing soon. We are keeping details under wraps for now, but it will be a significant moment for anyone who follows his work or the history of New York graffiti. If you would like to be notified the moment we reveal more, you can sign up on our website to join the announcement list.