We Own the Night

From early 2009 to mid-2010, the Underbelly Project was the world’s best-kept urban art secret. This is the only book documenting the project, during which the world’s leading urban artists, such as Swoon, Faile, Revok, and Lister, made late-night trips to an abandoned New York City subway station, painting night after night to transform the space into the largest underground art gallery in the world.

When curators Workhorse and PAC declared the project finished, there was no opening to show the work. In fact, the space’s location remains a secret kept by the MTA, which boarded up the space, making it, like the cave of Lascaux, a time capsule for future generations to discover.

The book includes three hundred photographs documenting the project and the participating artists’ stories of secret expeditions, ranging from the hilarious to the suspenseful. With texts from artists such as Dan Witz, Elbow Toe, Jeff Soto, Miya Ando, and Ron English, the result is an extraordinary contribution to urban history and the annals of street art.

Workhorse is a New York–based urban artist who has shown his work around the world. He considers the Underbelly Project the ultimate forum to spotlight urban subculture. PAC is a native New Yorker, artist, and activist. His artwork revolves around the intersection of public and private media in our shared environments. Eric Haze aka HAZE is a well-known New York graffiti artist and designer. Some of his works include the now iconic early hip-hop logos for Public Enemy, EPMD, LL Cool J, and others.