Futura
Leonard Hilton McGurr, known as Futura (formerly Futura 2000), began his artistic career in the early 1970s, tagging subway trains and walls, but quickly stood out for breaking away from traditional graffiti lettering. Instead, he introduced abstract, space-age forms that helped redefine what graffiti could be. By the early 1980s, Futura had transitioned into the contemporary art scene, exhibiting alongside Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. His first solo exhibition was held at the iconic Fun Gallery in 1982.
Futura is recognized as a pioneer of abstract graffiti. Unlike most of his peers, he focused on freeform composition rather than stylized text, developing a visual language of dynamic spray lines, atmospheric color gradients, and minimal, often cosmic shapes. His signature motifs — such as atom-like orbits, pointman characters, and planetary fields — combine graffiti’s energy with the visual poetics of abstraction. His work draws influence from science fiction, street culture, and punk aesthetics, reflecting a futurist vision that bridges fine art and subculture.
One of Futura’s early breakthroughs was the abstract piece Break (1980), which covered an entire subway car in non-text-based imagery. Over the years, he expanded into painting, sculpture, printmaking, and fashion collaborations. In 2024–2025, he received his first major retrospective in New York, FUTURA 2000: BREAKING OUT, at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, featuring five decades of work. Around the same time, Paris hosted Futura: The Artist’s Journey at La Fab, an expansive exhibition showcasing large-scale canvases, archival photos, and multidisciplinary projects that solidified his legacy as a bridge between street art, abstraction, and contemporary design.
Collected by major institutions and notable private collectors:
— Centre Pompidou— MIMA Brussels
Notable sales and auction records:
— Untitled, USD 302,4 thousand at Christie's, New York, 2022— Untitled, EUR 279,8 thousand at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr, Paris, 2023
— 5% Solution, USD 189 thousand at Sotheby's, New York, 2022
Artworks and Paintings
Biography and Artistic Career Highlights
Futura (real name Leonard Hilton McGurr, also known as Futura 2000) was born on November 17, 1955, in New York City, USA. He grew up in a modest neighborhood, spending much of his time alone, interested in drawing and exploring the urban environment. The atmosphere of the metropolis, rapidly changing in the 1960s and 1970s, shaped his worldview and determined his future interest in street art.
1970s — began creating graffiti in New York, producing his first works in the subway and on the streets. Unlike most graffiti artists of that era, Futura preferred abstract forms and dynamic lines instead of traditional tags and letter-based compositions.
1974–1978 — served in the U.S. Navy, an experience that broadened his cultural horizons.
Late 1970s — returned to New York and developed an individual style that combined graffiti with abstract painting. His works became recognizable for their bursts of energetic lines and vivid compositions.
1981 — participated in the exhibition New York / New Wave at PS1, where his art attracted the attention of the art world. In the same year, he began collaborating with the punk band The Clash, accompanying their world tour with live graffiti performances on stage.
1982 — held his first solo exhibition at the Fun Gallery, one of the key spaces of the New York art scene.
1980s–1990s — actively took part in international exhibitions, expanding his practice: beyond graffiti, Futura worked on illustrations, album cover designs, and collaborations with commercial brands. Gradually, his art moved beyond street culture and entered the worlds of fashion and design.
1990s — developed collaborative projects with clothing and footwear brands, becoming a cult figure within street culture and among collectors.
2000s — held solo and group exhibitions in the United States, Europe, and Asia; further developed his signature style, blending graffiti with abstraction, digital techniques, and graphic design.
2010s — collaborated with major brands (including Nike, Levi’s, and Supreme) and took part in projects connecting art and urban culture.
2020s — presented retrospective exhibitions, confirming his status as one of the pioneers of contemporary street art who influenced several generations of artists.
Today, Futura continues to work actively and exhibit worldwide. His art, which began in the New York subway, has become part of the global cultural scene, and he is recognized as one of the key figures who bridged graffiti with abstract painting and contemporary design.
