{{Short description|American graffiti artist (born 1961)}} {{Infobox artist | name = Crash | image = John Matos.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Matos in 2018 | birth_name = John Matos | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1961}} | birth_place = New York City, US | known_for = | notable_works = | style = | movement = Graffiti | signature = | signature_type = Tag | signature_size = | signature_alt = | website = {{URL|crashone.com}} }}
'''Crash''' (born '''John Matos'''; October 11, 1961, in Bronx, New York) is a graffiti artist.
==Early life== As early as 13, John Matos was spray painting New York City trains, the full image art as opposed to simpler tagging soon transferred to silk screened canvas.<ref name=NYTimesCrash>{{cite news|title='Graffiti' by John Matos at the Brooklyn Museum |work=New York Times |date= 2006-06-25 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/25/arts/design/25loos.html | first=Ted | last=Loos | accessdate=May 7, 2010}}</ref><ref name=NYTimesCar2Canvas>{{cite news|title=From Subway Cars to Canvas, Spray Can Still in Hand |work=The New York Times |date= 2006-06-25 |url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0F10F935550C768EDDAF0894DE404482 | first=Ted | last=Loos | accessdate=May 7, 2010}}</ref>
==Recognition== Crash was first noticed through his murals on subway cars and dilapidated buildings and is now regarded as a pioneer of the Graffiti art movement.<ref name=StarLedgerCrash>{{cite news|title=Graffiti arrives at an elevated station |publisher=The Star-Ledger |date=8 April 2006 |url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/ledger/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-0/1154672653236480.xml&coll=1}}</ref>
His work is said to convey a "visual link between street life and established society".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flintarts.org/collections_acquisitions.html |title=Recent Acquisitions |accessdate=August 21, 2006 |author=Flint Institute of Arts |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061008060752/http://www.flintarts.org/collections_acquisitions.html |archivedate=October 8, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and in 1980, Crash curated the now iconic exhibition:"Graffiti Art Success for America" at Fashion Moda, launching the graffiti movement that has remained very active through today.
In 1983, Crash was given his first gallery showing by Sidney Janis at the Sidney Janis Gallery.<ref name=NYTimesCrash /><ref name=StarLedgerCrash />
==Eric Clapton graffiti guitars== In 1996, Crash painted an Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster and gave it to the artist as a gift. Clapton went on to use the specially designed guitar through his 2001 tour and later appeared with another. In total Crash has created 5 guitars for Clapton, though only three of them have made public appearances. One of Clapton's "Crashocasters" (nicknamed by Eric's former guitar tech, Lee Dickson) auctioned for $321,100 (USD) by the name of "Crash-3" and was used extensively during the first Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2004. Soon after Fender Musical Instruments commissioned the creation of 50 such graffiti designed guitars from Crash and named the line "Crashocasters." Crash went on to also design a line of custom painted Telecasters with matching Fender amps.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crashocasters.com/introduction%20page.htm |title=Welcome to my homage to music |accessdate=August 24, 2006 |publisher=Crashocasters.com |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060720003327/http://www.crashocasters.com/introduction%20page.htm |archivedate=July 20, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whereseric.com/ecfaq/guitars-amps/graffiti-stratocasters-multicolored-paint.html |title=Fender Graffiti Stratocasters |accessdate=August 24, 2006 |publisher=Where's Eric! |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060604071144/http://www.whereseric.com/ecfaq/guitars-amps/graffiti-stratocasters-multicolored-paint.html |archivedate=June 4, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Other artists such as John Mayer and Ed Sheeran have used the custom painted Crashocaster guitars.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.modernguitars.com/CRASH/archives/002235.html |title=John Mayer with Crashocaster |accessdate=August 24, 2006 |publisher=Modern Guitar Magazine |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060827150831/http://www.modernguitars.com/CRASH/archives/002235.html |archivedate=August 27, 2006 }}</ref> Crash painted another Crashocaster which Clapton played at the Crossroads Guitar Festival 2019 held at American Airlines Center of Dallas (Texas) on September 20 and 21, 2019. <ref>{{cite web |title=CRASH on Eric Clapton's New "Crashocaster" Guitar |url=https://www.whereseric.com/eric-clapton-news/303-crash-eric-claptons-new-crashocaster-guitar |website=Where's Eric |access-date=21 June 2021}}</ref>
==Crash x Teddy M Stratocaster for Ed Sheeran== In 2015, musician Ed Sheeran commissioned a collaboration between Crash and British artist Teddy M to create the 'Crash x Teddy M' Stratocaster. The guitar features Crash's famous eye design and the Teddy M Heart and was debuted by Sheeran during his sold out Wembley Stadium, London shows in July 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://teddym.com/crash-x-teddy-m-fender-strat/4592641506 |title=Crash x Teddy M Stratocaster for ed Sheeran |access-date=2017-01-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116165545/http://teddym.com/crash-x-teddy-m-fender-strat/4592641506 |archive-date=2017-01-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Notable exhibitions== In July 2006, the pieces titled "Aeroplane 1" (1983) and "A-U-T-O-matic",(1985), along with other paintings from their permanent collection were displayed in the Brooklyn Museum of Art in a featured exhibit titled "Graffiti."<ref name=NYTimesCrash /><ref name=StarLedgerCrash /><ref>{{cite news |title=Graffiti |publisher=Time Out New York |date=2006-07-27 |url=http://www.timeout.com/newyork/Details.do?page=1&xyurl=xyl://TONYWebArticles1/565/around_town/graffiti.xml }}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In 2016, a new series of canvas spray paintings were displayed at JoAnne Artman Gallery in Chelsea for his solo exhibition entitled, "Breaking Ground: Redefining the Urban Experience."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hernandez |first1=Jasmine |title=Graffiti Icon Crash Serves Up an Animated One-Two Punch in Chelsea |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/graffiti-icon-crash-delivers-an-animated-visual-knockout/ |website=Vice.com |date=18 October 2016 |access-date=13 December 2019}}</ref> In 2018, Crash showed at [http://joanneartmangallery.com JoAnne Artman Gallery] again for another show, "Concrete Jungle."<ref>{{cite web |title=Notable Past: CONCRETE JUNGLE featuring John "CRASH" Matos |url=http://www.joanneartmangallery.com/exhibits/notable-past/concrete-jungle/ |website=www.joanneartmangallery.com |accessdate=13 December 2019}}</ref>
==Notable projects== Also, in 2010, Crash was commissioned to create a special limited edition luggage for TUMI, Inc.<ref name=Bloginity>{{cite news |title=John Crash Matos Partners with Tumi to create Tumi Tag |publisher=Bloginity |date=April 19, 2011 |url=http://www.bloginity.com/blog/2011/03/22/tumi-john-crash-matos-partner-lauch-tumi-tag-benefit-acria/}}</ref>
In 2019, Crash participated in the New York City's "Beyond the Streets," bringing a massive new showcase of the evolution of graffiti and street art to the city that helped it become a global phenomenon. <ref>{{cite web |url=https://beyondthestreets.com/pages/artists |website=Beyond the Streets |accessdate=13 December 2019|title=Featured Artists & Exhibits }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.crashone.com/ Official website]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Matos, John}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:American graffiti artists Category:Artists from the Bronx