Born in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Bates began writing graffiti in his early teens and despite his tender age soon became one of the most prolific artists within Copenhagen’s budding hip- hop scene of the mid 1980-ties. Already in 1989 he was considered among the leading elite of European graffiti artists – including names such as Loomit from Germany, Mode 2 and Bando from Paris, Delta and Shoe from Amsterdam.

With the internationalization of the European graffiti of the early 1990-ties the rumour of Bates stylistic elegance spread even further and he soon be- came of the most sought after artists for the big venues around the continent and overseas. He has been invited to paint in more than 30 countries, on all five continents. In 1998 he was the second artist to be featured in On the Run’s biographical series on international graffiti writers.

In his graffiti art Bates combines a traditionalist New York feeling for style – with an emphasis on a logic flow of letters, dynamic and swinging rhythms of bars and arrows – with a European sense of technique, of sharp lines, with a graphic verve and an near flawless can control.

Solo shows

• • Bates “AfterWork’ aw pop-up show at Lokal 17, Malmo Sweden 25 oct. 2019
• • Bates “New York Bash” at Lazy Susan Gallery (lower east side) NYC New York USA April 2019
• • Bates “Stealing the moment” Art is just a 4 letter word, Soest/Germany Dec. 2017
• • Bates “California Dreaming” Buckshot Gallery Los Angeles April 2016
• • Bates 'Selfmade' Konstart Gallery Stockholm August 2015
• • Bates 'Style In Progress' at Partisan Creative Corner Gallery in Soest/Germany Friday 22 May 2015
• • Bates Goes Stockholm at Gallery Jan Wallmark /May 14 2015
• • Bates ”Malmø State of mind' Still Kicking Gallery Malmø September 2014
• • Bates ”Signs And Labels' Konstart Stockholm April 2014
• • Bates ”Still going strong 1984-2014' Le-Fix Gallery Copenhagen March 2014
• • Bates ”Sign my name' Urban art room Gothenburg Sweden October 2013
• • Bates ”Bits and Pieces” Montana Gallery Montpellier France June 2013
• • Bates “The Way He Writes”, HL gallery, Stockholm, August 2012
• • Bates/Bjørndahl ”Appreciation for Letters”, Galerie-Issue (Marquis-Art Gallery), Paris, May 2012
• • Bates ”A Piece of Me”, Lauritz Auction House, Malmö, November 2011
• • Bates “mini exhibition”, Spectrum, Milan, April 2011
• • Bates “Solo Show”, Hanna G, Malmö, March 2011
• • Bates ”It’s about time”, Copenhagen StreetWear, Copenhagen, October 2009