Dondi White:

Dondi White was a visionary. He was also my best friend. Like all his friends around the globe, I struggle every day with the reality that he is gone.

A loss of this magnitude is so significant that it cannot be quantified in any rational terms. As a person, Dondi was so many things to so many people. Particularly in his passing, those of us closest to him realize that each of us knew a different Dondi.

Dondi was a renaissance man in every sense of the word. He had a broad range of knowledge and interests and was passionate about his work. He was a man of strong convictions. He was incredibly self-disciplined and maintained an almost monastic order over his own life. He was capable of great warmth and generosity and bone-chilling coolness as well. He was steadfast in his choices and was never one to waver.

I met Dondi in March of 1980. We quickly became great friends and collaborators. I had the pleasure of meeting all the members of his graffiti family, CIA, and I evolved into a family member myself over time. Dondi in turn came to know and befriend the members of my extended families: RTW, The Soul Artists and The Rebels. All of which were honored to welcome him into their fold.

Dondi and I painted a lot of trains together. He took me to the #2 yard and I took him to the #3 yard. He helped me improve my piecing and I helped him with his drawing. His goal was set on success as an artist "On all fronts" as he used to say. We began painting canvases and both became associated with two New York galleries that exhibited our work-the 51X Gallery and The Fun Gallery. We also both participated in the production of the film "Wild Style". In 1982, Dondi and I took our first trip outside New York to represent our graffiti work. With Futura, the three of us flew to Santa Cruz, California. It was Dondi's first time on an airplane. It would certainly not be his last.

Later the same year the three of us went to Hong Kong to showcase our graffiti. In '83 we to Asia to exhibit in Japan in conjunction with the release of "Wild Style" there.

Futura went on to be represented by a gallery in Paris. Dondi and I were represented by a gallery in Amsterdam, which represented Futura as well. Throughout the early 80's Dondi's career took him to Europe countless times. During the same period Dondi and I did some of our favorite collaborative pieces on the subways. We made no distinctions between graffiti and fine art-we were just painting. Admittedly, we were doing some re-prioritizing. We had to if we were to succeed at making our living from our art. But as long as we still itched to paint our names on the subway, we would. And did. Those who blame the interest in canvas as a cause in subway paintings decline don't know the truth. The movement above ground always inspired better work below.

Dondi White was years ahead of his time. His work took graffiti art to a new level. His wild style lettering and the many subtleties that were his invention, will set standards forever. His train pieces from 1979 such as "ROLL" and "MR. WHITE" look completely fresh and vibrant now over twenty years after they rolled out of the yard. In terms of inventiveness, originality, and technical virtuosity Dondi's work remains unparalleled. His often reprinted wholecars, though brilliant, don't even scrape the surface of Dondi's depth and talent.

They say the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree. Perhaps this is why since Dondi left us on October 2nd 1998, I've received countless condolence letters from all over the world. Artists who didn't have the pleasure of knowing Dondi are taking the loss just as deeply as those of us that knew him well. Perhaps we're all aware that he was an individual who crafted a precious blueprint we all rely on. As graffiti artists, we must acknowledge the things that bind us, however intangible they may be. Dondi's work and career in the worlds above and below ground are a mandatory lesson. Learning about Dondi and his amazing work is part of the process of learning about ourselves.

Dondi was an artist blessed with talent. He left us way too young, but he left many gifts behind. Study them. Learn from them. Enjoy them. Treasure them.

Zephyr New York City Feb. 28, 1999