Seven-Up / Maurice 1977

Curator: Look at this dynamic diptych, “Seven-Up / Maurice,” a photograph taken by Henry Chalfant in 1977. It captures the energy of New York City subway cars covered in graffiti. What strikes you immediately? Editor: The boldness, definitely the boldness. These immense, almost cartoonish bubble letters practically vibrate off the surface. There's a visual punch; they seem less like words and more like symbolic markers of territory and identity. Curator: That’s a perceptive point. In terms of historical context, we have to understand this as more than mere vandalism. It was a form of resistance, a counter-narrative etched onto the city's steel veins. The anonymity offered by public space allowed marginalized voices—predominantly young people of color—to inscribe their existence and reclaim their narratives. Editor: Absolutely. Consider the choice of imagery: those bold letters, tags, and cryptic symbols act like emblems, conveying complex narratives about power, belonging, and self-expression. The repeated act of writing, of claiming space through image, is so fundamental to human psychology—think of cave paintings—only now transported onto a very different type of canvas. Curator: Precisely, and thinking intersectionally, this was happening against a backdrop of economic decline, urban decay, and social unrest. Graffiti became a visual manifestation of those tensions, a way to assert agency within systems that often denied it. Who were these artists? What struggles were they facing? This photo asks us to reckon with those questions. Editor: It’s an interesting commentary on ephemeral art. The graffiti exists momentarily before being washed off or painted over. This photograph acts as a preservation, enshrining those transient visual signifiers. These names and words and images now become timeless and enduring. Curator: A perfect illustration of how photography can grant permanence. We're left pondering the broader cultural significance—a collision of artistic expression, social commentary, and the reclaiming of public space. Editor: And an incredible look at the ways our cultures continue to record themselves symbolically through iconic turns of phrase and color.