Chris 'DAZE' Ellis (Ecuadorian-American b. 1964)

Daze emerged in the early 1980s as part of the generation that carried graffiti from the New York subway system into the wider field of contemporary art. He first gained recognition for painting trains across the city, developing a visual language that combined movement, atmosphere and a strong sense of narrative. By his early twenties, he was exhibiting at key spaces such as Fashion Moda and the Mudd Club, marking a shift from illicit work in the transit system to a formal presence within the art world.

Over the past four decades, Daze has built a practice centred on painting, public projects and collaborative engagement. His work continues to draw on the structure and rhythm of the urban environment, blending controlled composition with the immediacy of spray paint and gestural mark making. This balance between precision and spontaneity is a defining quality of his mature style.

His paintings often explore the spatial character of New York, from subway interiors to street level perspectives, using colour, line and texture to anchor memory, atmosphere and lived experience. Alongside his studio practice, he has completed murals, community projects and commissions worldwide, reinforcing the social dimension of his work.

Daze’s art has been exhibited internationally and is held in major public and private collections. Throughout his career he has maintained a consistent focus on how cities are felt, moved through and remembered. His contribution to the evolution of street informed practices remains significant, positioning him as a key figure within both the history of graffiti and the wider narrative of contemporary painting.

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