Lee Quiñones is a pioneering graffiti artist and painter widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of New York City’s graffiti movement. Raised on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Quiñones began painting subway cars in the mid-1970s and became known for his large-scale work that elevated graffiti from tags to visual storytelling. A key member of the legendary graffiti crew The Fabulous Five, he was among the first writers to paint entire subway cars; his whole cars were celebrated for their technical mastery and scale during a foundational era of New York’s history. 

Quiñones’s work helped redefine graffiti as a legitimate art form rather than mere vandalism. By the late 1970s, he transitioned from painting subways to exhibiting in galleries, becoming one of the first graffiti artists to bridge the gap between the streets and the fine art world.

Lee Quiñones has appeared in seminal films chronicling New York’s graffiti and hip-hop culture, including the legendary Wild Style, where he played a leading role. His influence has extended across generations, inspiring artists in graffiti, street art, and contemporary painting alike.

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