Through March 22nd, Afrology, featuring the paintings of James Top, legendary graffiti writer turned artist and controversial educator, is on display at the Essex Street Gallery (27 1/2 Essex Street, between Hester and Grand Streets). The image of an afroed man forms the foundation of seventeen works, which explore elements of the African American experience. Graffiti letters running across the top label these themes while the collaged images below provide a more nuanced look. Several paintings feature the work of street photographer Jamel Shabazz.

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Growing up in the Brooklyn neighborhood of East New York, James Top got his start writing graffiti in the early 70s as JEE 2. With The Odd Partners crew, which he later came to lead, Top left his mark on the subway lines and streets of New York. Now he’s using that energy to educate and inspire, teaching college students about graffiti and opening his first solo show in New York. In anticipation of the opening at Essex Gallery this Friday, Gothamist interviewed Top about his early days in graffiti, his controversial graffiti class at Hostos College in the Bronx (not surprisingly Vallone caused a stink), and his most recent work.

There wasn’t really competition. It was really “us” vs. the MTA who often tried to clean up our tags. Everyone tried to find a new style but ours became the best style to mimic: the “throw up”. It’s close to a tag but takes more skills to execute with one fill-in color and one outline. We used a lot of silver and black. Mostly “high heat silver” from automotive stores— very luminous stuff.

Afrology opens this Friday, February 22 at Essex Street Gallery, 27 1/2 Essex Street from 6 PM to midnight. The exhibit “consists of seventeen variations of the 1970’s hairstyle, the “Afro”, filled with humorous and serious messages about being an African American man through the eyes of James Top.”