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Biography of Stephen Powers
Iconoclast artist, New Yorker, Stephen (Steve) J.Powers was born in Philadelphia in 1968. From 1990 to 1992, he took classes at the Arts Institute of Philadelphia, then at the University of the Arts. He moved to New York in 1994. He took part, as a writer and publisher, of the « On the GO magazine ». Stephen J. Powers painted many graffitis in Philadelphia and New York under the name ESPO (« Exterior Surface Painting Outreach »). ESPO's work often blurred the lines between illegal and legal. Sometimes he was arrested. The artist painted in daylight, wearing street clothes. He became a full-time studio artist in 1998. Since then, his work has been shown at the Contemporary Art Institute of Philadelphia, at Deitch Project in New York, at the Venice and Liverpool Biennials in 2001, in Los Angeles and Dublin. His work reflects a fascination for graffiti, signs painting, public artwork, graphic lettering, and any kind of scam. Society's perception evolving upon his work, this last decade, provided access to commissioned public art.