/ ARTWORKS
All artworks, courtesy of John Fekner Archive
© Ph. Fabrizio Cicconi
JOHN FEKNER
(New York City, 1950)
Born in New York City in 1950, John Fekner began writing poetry as a teenager and painted his first graffiti in 1968 with the phrase "Itchycoo Park" in Queens, NY. From the 1970s through the early 1980s, he anonymously carried out the “Warning Signs” project, over 300 conceptual graffiti works across New York’s five boroughs. Using hand-cut cardboard stencils and spray paint, Fekner created his “word-signs” that highlighted urban decay, pollution, social inequality, and neglect. His aim was to raise awareness and push city officials and communities to act on urgent local issues. In 1980, he began creating installations at Fashion Moda, a hub for experimental art, and in 1982, he organized the exhibition “From The Monkey To The Monitor”, featuring metallic Space Invaders from the Arcade video game, together with artist Don Leicht. Fekner was part of the vibrant New York street art scene alongside Keith Haring, Jenny Holzer, Andy Warhol, Crash and others. He also explored early computer graphics and formed a band, City Squad, experimenting with speech synthesis in music. His 1984 album Idioblast, re-released in 2024, received praise for its raw yet engaging style and vivid imagery.
