MICO - Pioneer Started:1970 Primary affiliations: SALVAJES, UGA Local origin: East Flatbush, Brooklyn Lines hit: Ds, QJs, 4s, 5s, 2s MICO immigrated from his native Colombia to the United States in 1969. Shortly thereafter he began his writing career at Brooklyn's Erasmus Hall High School in 1970. At Erasmus MICO declined invitations to join The Ex Vandals from his classmates. MICO was busy maintaining the earliest all-Latino subway writing crews called SALVAJES. Membership of SALVAJES included MANI, PelUSA and MALO, all from Brooklyn. MICO Hit many subway lines IRTs, INDs and BMTs. His main focus were the QJ(M) and D lines. The groundbreaking visuals of MICO's subway paintings were unparalleled by those of his peers. His work possessed a political and social awareness more consistent with the political revolutionaries of the time. His work often reflected the plights of the Latino community; such as the oppression of Puerto Rico by the United States controversy . MICO had six definitive Politically motivated campaigns. "Free Lolita Lebron", "Free Carlos Feliciano", "Free Puerto Rico", "Free Mandela", "Free Sisulu" and "Hang Nixon". MICO participated in some of the earliest formal exhibitions of Aerosol Art with Hugo Martinez's United Graffiti Artists in the early 1970s, which helped pave the way for future aerosol artists with aspirations of careers in fine arts. In September 1973 the Razor Gallery in New York City held the first formal display of aerosol art. His painting MICOflag was the first painting sold. MICO retired from subway painting in 1975. Presently MICO continues his artistic innovation defining new areas such as "Abstract Social Realism". MICO's paintings have appeared in the Martinez Gallery in New York City, The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry and other venues. Photos furnished by MICO. Credits: Hugo Martinez: Photos 1,2 and 3 (First Throwup) MICO: Photos 4,5 Jack Stewart: Photo 6 Excerpts from MICO interview conducted in December 1999 by @149st To learn more about MICO and Abstract Social Realism please visit MICO's Web site. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Copyright © 1999, 2005 @149st. All rights reserved. | Home |  Artists |  Crews |  History |  Links |  E mail | Glossary |