Four Awesome Graffiti Artists That Aren't Banksy

By All That's Interesting | Edited By Savannah Cox

Published May 5, 2012

Updated January 25, 2018

Awesome Graffiti Artists ESPO

Awesome Graffiti Artists: Steve Powers AKA ESPO

Steve Powers

Steve Powers (aka ESPO) was a graffiti writer most popular in NYC who had consistently blurred the lines of illegal and legal graffiti. His graffiti writing usually took place during the day and generally involved tagging closed storefronts under the disguise of an “Exterior Surface Painting Outreach” (ESPO) member and telling passersby he was simply cleaning the fronts.

During his height of creativity in the 90s, many praised his works for their conceptual brilliance and style, which usually resembled legitimate billboards. But after a 1999 arrest and six felony charges, Powers gave up graffiti.

Espo

Awesome Graffiti Artists Steve Powers

Espo Graffiti Artist

Awesome Graffiti Artists That Aren't Banksy

Four Awesome Graffiti Artists

author

Established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together a dedicated staff of digital publishing veterans and subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science. From the lesser-known byways of human history to the uncharted corners of the world, we seek out stories that bring our past, present, and future to life. Privately-owned since its founding, All That's Interesting maintains a commitment to unbiased reporting while taking great care in fact-checking and research to ensure that we meet the highest standards of accuracy.

editor

Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.

Four Awesome Graffiti Artists That Aren’t Banksy

Awesome Graffiti Artists: Steve Powers AKA ESPO