ARTISTS
Keo Xmen
BIOGRAPHY
Blake ‘KEO’ Lethem aka Lord Scotch 79, is a prolific graffiti writer and graphic designer. KEO designed logos and illustrated album covers for notable Hip-Hop artists and labels including Kool Keith, Inspectah Deck of the Wu-Tang Clan, EPMD and Nervous records; though perhaps best known for his iconic artwork on Operation: Doomsday by the late MF DOOM.
At fifteen years old, KEO had his first show at the legendary FUN Gallery alongside Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Richard Hambleton, DONDI, FUTURA 2000 and HAZE. During this time, KEO spent the early 80s refining his craft, painting subway trains on the backdrop of the burgeoning New York Hip-Hop scene.
In 2000, KEO curated the first major auction of graffiti for Guernsey’s auction house at New York City’s Puck Building. KEO’s contributions to Hip-Hop culture and graffiti style have been documented in many publications including Bobito Garcia’s Where’d You Get Those, Johan Kugelberg’s Born in the Bronx and most recently, the Smithsonian’s Anthology of Hip-Hop & Rap.
KEO has designed products and apparel for Nike, Supreme, Stussy and Adidas, as well as created installations for Montblanc, Harley Davidson, Airbnb, Warner Brothers and many more.
KEO’s work is focused on preserving traditional New York City subway graffiti styles, sampling elements from pop culture, comics, and classic animation characters. He lectures and teaches workshops at prestigious institutions such as Columbia University, Rutgers University, and NYU. KEO also engages the community through outreach, from the Boys and Girls Clubs to Rikers Island Robert N. Davoren Adolescent facility. He also exhibits all over the world, most recently at The Woodbury House Gallery in London and at the STRAAT Museum in Amsterdam.
KEO lives in Brooklyn, NY.
