Sunny Butterflies by RISK

Sunny Butterflies by RISK

RISK, born Kelly Graval, is one of the biggest names in the street art and graffiti scene in the United States. The length of RISK’s career spans over 30 years of his intense dedication to spray paint. He made a strong impact on the evolution of graffiti as an art form in Los Angeles and worldwide by pushing the boundaries of graffiti with his unique letterforms. He pioneered “hitting up the heavens” which meant putting his graffiti as high as possible, scaling and writing on freeway signs and overpasses. He pioneered tagging freight trains to spread his name across the country. By the early 90’s, RISK could be seen all over Los Angeles. Steeped in the commercialism of American culture, success and fame were synonymous for a young Graval. Reflecting on his past, he said, “I wanted to be just like Coca-Cola.” RISK has branded his namesake Riskoleum works as a greater comment on pop art and consumerism in society.

While maintaining a strong graffiti influence in his work, RISK has evolved into an internationally recognized contemporary artist. These days RISK spends his time creating bright neon pieces, colorful canvases painted with Kandy Car paint and crushed abalone or assembling massive sculptures. Before shifting to multimedia sculptures and large-scale, color-washed paintings, RISK launched a pioneering streetwear company, Third Rail, and solidified his place in graffiti lore by commandeering freeway overpasses, traffic signs, freight trains, and billboards with his aerosol art.

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