Chris Daze Ellis

“Lit” pictured here as a work in progress the finished painting will be on view this Friday in my solo show, “Orchid Rain on the Underground “ at PPOW gallery. This painting which is painted is part Reginald Marsh, part Mad magazine, pays tribute to the legendary east village venue. So many nights of unseen crazy fun. It belongs in the pantheon of artist friendly bars such as The Cedar Bar, Max’s Kansas City, and the Mudd Club. Come see it. @ppowgallery , 390 Broadway, 2nd floor #lit #newyorkcity #dazeworldnyc

We are pleased to announce @dazeworldnyc ’s third solo exhibition with the gallery, “Orchid Rain on the Underground,” opening March 20.  Featuring a new series of paintings, multimedia installation, and a site-specific mural, the exhibition harnesses the passion and spontaneity of the graffiti movement of the 1970s and 80s while demonstrating a thoughtful and meticulous practice honed over the past five decades. While the version of New York City that fostered #Daze’s beginnings as a fine artist may feel like a bygone era, the works in this exhibition are evidence of its enduring legacy. By revitalizing that foundational energy for the present moment, Daze affirms the continued relevance of those figures and places, and their profound influence on the creative spirit that persists throughout the city today. The exhibition will be on view March 20 – April 25 at 390 Broadway, 2nd Floor. 📷: #ChrisDazeEllis, “Gem Spa In the 80s,” 2025, oil, acrylic, and spray paint on canvas, 69 1/2 x 93 1/2 ins.

We are pleased to announce that @dazeworldnyc ’s “Orchid/Rose Combo,” 2024, has recently entered the collection of @icamiami , FL.  The work was acquired in collaboration with Fountainhead Forum, a new initiative launched by @FountainheadArts that offers funding support for meaningful institutional acquisitions of works by past residency artists. Exploring motifs rooted in the natural world, the work features Chris “Daze” Ellis’ signature fusion of lettering and figurative elements, vibrant colors, and bold gestures. Stay tuned for Daze’s third solo exhibition with #PPOW, “Orchid Rain on the Underground,” opening this March at 390 Broadway, 2nd floor.  📷: Chris “Daze” Ellis, “Orchid/Rose Combo,” 2024, 45 x 61 ins.

A great day painting with @band1sm . Lots of fun in Vienna. 👍🏽#vienna #austria #dazeworldnyc

It’s happening soon! Working on things in the laboratory here. @painting_diary @ppowgallery @andrehemer @clara___clarissima #vienna #austria #dazeworldnyc

I received an amazing tour today from Clara of @painting_diary / @albertinamuseum of Kaws show: “Kaws and Komix” 1.) Kaws 2.) Kaws 3.)H.C. westerman 4.) Red Grooms and Mimi Grooms, Ruckas Manhattan 5.) @kaws and @kbernhardt2014 6.)Pop Shop Tokyo @keithharingfoundation 7.) Albertina Museum , yellow room 8.) Albertina Museum , red room 9.) Honore Daumier 10.) terrace @albertinamuseum #vienna #austria #dazeworldnyc

Photo drop from Vienna. Includes an amazing visit to the @kunsthistorischesmuseumvienna to check out masterpieces and a visit to @foto_arsenal_wien to see the last day of the @daidomoriyamaphotofoundation exhibition which was incredible. Enjoying the spring weather. @painting_diary #vienna #europe #dazeworldnyc

Day 1 in Vienna. Spent the day walking around with @andrehemer buying supplies and setting up the studio at @painting_diary . About to begin a period of experimentation that hopefully will lead to a new discovery. #vienna #europe #denimpaintings

Painting Diary is pleased to present our next artist-in-residence, Chris “Daze” Ellis. Daze emerged from the 1970s graffiti movement and the creative energy of New York’s downtown club scene. Transitioning from tagging trains to spray painting canvas in the early 1980s, he developed a studio practice that merges urban realism with gestural abstraction. Inspired by artists such as John Sloan and Joan Mitchell, his paintings depict subways, streets, and social spaces as sites of memory and cultural exchange, often populated by figures from his life and New York’s creative community. Combining spray paint and acrylic with expressive brushwork, Daze juxtaposes gritty city infrastructure with vibrant bursts of flora, suggesting renewal, resilience, and beauty within urban decay. His work consistently reflects on the city as both lived environment and emotional landscape, balancing nostalgia with an enduring sense of optimism. During his Painting Diary residency in Vienna, Daze intends to experiment with denim as a substrate, combined with mixed media including bleach, pastel, and acrylic. These works will expand upon recent movements within his practice, merging fluid abstraction with representational imagery drawn from both urban and natural environments. Daze (New York, b. 1962) has held solo exhibitions at institutions including Fashion Moda (Bronx), Palais Liechtenstein (Feldkirch), Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain (Nice), and the Museum of the City of New York. His work has appeared in major group exhibitions at MoMA PS1, the Stedelijk Museum, the New Museum, and MOCA Los Angeles, among others, and is held in prominent collections such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Brooklyn Museum. In 2025, he was commissioned to create Above Ground Midtown: MCNY x DAZE, a large-scale mural at 550 Madison Avenue, affirming his lasting impact on both street culture and contemporary art. Chris “Daze” Ellis portrait image. Photo by Kyle Dorosz. @dazeworldnyc #chrisdazeellis #painterinresidence #paintingdiary #paintingdiaryresidency #painting

I have an interview in this month’s anniversary issue of @dirtymagofficial . I spoke to them in the weeks leading up to my show at PPOW gallery. Make sure to grab a copy! @ppowgallery @dirtymagofficial #newyorkcity #dazeworldnyc

I saw two amazing shows yesterday. The first one is at the @afamuseum that featured an absolutely incredible painting called “Voyage to Candyland” by my friend @joecolemanartist . It features portraits of both himself and his wife, Whitney Ward captured in intimate moments at home in their garden. The second one was at @thebrantfoundation and featured the work of @keithharingfoundation . Keith was a good friend and an inspiration and seeing this show brought back a lot of memories. I saw many of these works in their original context . It was good to be able to revisit them once again. #newyorkcity #joecoleman #whitneyward #keithharing #dazeworldnyc

Today, April 25, is the final day to catch @dazeworldnyc ’s “Orchid Rain on the Underground” at 390 Broadway, 2nd floor. Throughout the exhibition, technicolor throngs of flowers ascend from subway scenes and urban rubble, representing optimism amidst inequality and the beauty that can arise out of destruction. These varied combinations of tropical flora and local flowers from the artist’s home in upstate New York function as poignant memorials to what has been lost and hopeful testaments to the beauty and creativity that can still be found around every corner. The exhibition is on view through 6pm today at 390 Broadway, 2nd Floor.