Donald Joseph White “DONDI” Tribute (April 7, 1961 – October 2, 1998)

Graffiti became a serious part of Dondi’s life in the mid-1970s.

He tagged using “NACO” and “DONDI”, and worked on refining his style, gradually moving from simple tagging to building more elaborate pieces. Using the name Dondi (a version of his own name) was considered very risky at the time, as the MTA and the  NYPD were trying to crack down on writers.

In 1979, Dondi officially adopted his name when he painted a giant piece on the roof of his house.

He became a member of TOP crew (The Odd Partners) in 1977. In 1978, Dondi formed his own crew, named CIA (Crazy Inside Artists), which included other prominent artists such as his good friend DURO. For the next 20-odd years, Dondi became recognized as the stylistic standard, influencing a generation of graffiti writers.

Dondi pioneered many of the styles and techniques still used by modern graffiti artists. Though he would often do wilstyle pieces for the benefit of other writers, he wanted the public to be able to read and enjoy his work, so he would focus on readable letters with intricate fills and characters.