Creed Gallery in Ascot, Berkshire, offers editions and original works by Richard Hambleton (1952–2017), the Canadian artist often called the godfather of street art for his black Shadowman silhouettes on the streets of 1980s New York and beyond. Our selection includes Horse and Rider prints, the 2018 Stop Sign edition and original works, priced from £3,995 to £75,000. Our team can advise on edition, provenance and documentation for collectors across Berkshire, Surrey and London.
About Richard Hambleton: The Shadowman
Hambleton was born in Vancouver in 1952 and studied at the Vancouver School of Art. His early Image Mass Murder installations (1976–79) placed chalk-outline "victims" on the streets of more than fifteen cities. He settled in New York in 1979 and in the early 1980s began painting the Shadowman: life-sized black silhouettes in doorways, alleys and street corners that startled passers-by. "I painted the town black," he once said. His first solo exhibition was on the Lower East Side in 1982, and he was included in the Venice Biennale in 1984 and 1988. He painted Shadowmen across Europe, in cities including Paris, Rome and London, and on the Berlin Wall.
Darker Than His Contemporaries
Where his friends Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat leaned towards the celebratory, Hambleton worked in a darker register. His figures startle rather than welcome, and he said they could stand for watchmen, danger or his own shadow. His Horse and Rider works, based on rodeo horses in the Marlboro tradition, carry the same gestural black energy.
Later Years and Recognition
Hambleton withdrew from the art world in the 1990s and 2000s. From 2009 to 2011, a major retrospective in collaboration with Giorgio Armani toured London, Moscow and New York. Oren Jacoby's documentary Shadowmanpremiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017, and Rizzoli published Richard Hambleton: Godfather of Street Art in 2022. His work is held in the Brooklyn Museum and the Andy Warhol Museum and has been shown at MoMA, and Rizzoli describes him as an influence on artists including Banksy, Blek le Rat and Shepard Fairey.
Collecting Richard Hambleton at Creed Gallery
Our editions include Horse and Rider, a screenprint (£5,500), Horse & Rider, Red (£3,995) and Stop Sign, a giclée print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag, 76 × 76 cm, from an edition of 75 (£3,995). Stop Sign was produced in 2018, the year after Hambleton's death, and is described as one of the final editions authorised by his estate. Our originals include Nightlife: Standing Shadow, mixed media on Ginwashi paper (£10,000), and Double Shadow Head, Gold (£75,000). Several works have sold, including the original Shadow Head oil, so register your interest for future arrivals. We tell you clearly whether each work was made by Hambleton himself or published after his death, and who authorised it. You're welcome to visit the gallery in Ascot.
Why Collect Richard Hambleton
The Shadowman is one of the most recognisable images to come out of 1980s New York, and the work carries a strong story. As with any artist, individual pieces vary in demand and value, so our team is happy to talk you through the specifics of any work you're considering.
Sold out
Sold out
