Under the Shadow of the Underworld
The exhibition is on view until October 27 at 15 Elizabeth St.
Photography by On White Wall.
It all began in 1992 for Clayton Patterson and Jose “Cochise” Quiles. On a random day, Patterson received a never-ending aggressive knock on his door from three intimidating men. They sported red and black gang colors on motorcycle patches, flame-embossed helmeted skulls on a Maltese cross, and read, “Satan’s Sinners Nomads.” The gang, founded and led by Cochise, soon piloted him to serve 18 years in the New York State Prison for the attempted murder of two former members. From that period in his life, Cochise and Patterson became longtime friends and harmonious artists working to reconcile relationships between cross-cultural communities.
Inspired by New York City’s subculture, their exhibition Under the Shadow of the Underworld pays homage to the socio-political movements shaping who they are as artists and humans, the co-existence of parallel yet euphonious trajectories, and their decades-long collaboration and friendship. Located at 15 Elizabeth St. until October 27, the exhibition showcases various photographs, embroideries, illustrations, tapestries, carpets, caps, and books by Cochise and Patterson dating back to 1992. In addition to their partnership, another longtime collaborator, friend, and artist, Jim Power, is debuting new mosaic panels at Under the Shadow of the Underworld.
Born in Canada in 1948, Patterson is a well-renowned artist, photographer, and videographer notorious for documenting the subculture of Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Before moving to New York City in 1979 with his partner and fellow artist Elsa Rensaa, Patterson taught etching, printmaking, and lithography at universities across Canada. In 1983, Patterson and Rensaa purchased 161 Essex St., turning a former dressmaking shop into a multidisciplinary art space. While they still reside here, 161 Essex St. has been dedicated to being the de-facto home of Clayton Caps and the Outlaw Art Museum, which has exhibited the work of artists ranging from Boris Lurie, COCHISE, Jim Power, Dash Snow, Jerry Pagane, LA II, bikers, and religious worshipers.
Photography by On White Wall.
From daily life to cultural movements, Patterson has captured defining moments in history, such as the widespread police brutality during the Tompkins Square Park Police Riots, where Patterson was arrested for documenting, and everyday joy, where he captured generations of portraits of local kids who’d pose outside his front door.
After years of gang involvement, Cochise became a youth advocate to warn young people about the risks and consequences of gang affiliation. As the founder of Satan’s Sinners Nomads and serving an 18-year prison sentence, he made dark, outlaw-biker art in the gang’s clubhouse that caught the likes of GG Allin and Dash Snow. Cochise went to prison for the attempted murder of two fellow gang members. He stabbed them and tossed them in the East River, and they both survived. While incarcerated, Cochise created caricature-style portraits of fellow inmates to send to their children. Since then, he’s been committed to deter kids from gangs and inform them of healthier and safer alternative lifestyles.
