ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi tˈuː hiː mˈuːvd tə nˈuː jˈɔːɹk ænd baɪ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi fˈoːɹ hiː bɪkˌeɪm ɐ pɹˈɑːmɪnənt fˈɪɡjɚɹ ʌvðɪ ˈiːst vˈɪlɪdʒ ˈɑːɹt sˈiːn, wˈɪnɪŋ ðə "pɹəlˌɪfɚɹˈeɪʃən pɹˈaɪz" fɹʌmðɪ ˈiːst vˈɪlɪdʒ ˈaɪ fɔːɹ bˌiːɪŋ ɪn mˈoːɹ ˈɑːɹt ɛksɪbˈɪʃənz ðɐn ˌɛni ˈʌðɚ nˈuː jˈɔːɹk ˈɑːɹɾɪst.
In 1982 he moved to New York and by 1984 he became a prominent figure of the East Village art scene, winning the "Proliferation Prize" from the East Village Eye for being in more art exhibitions than any other New York artist.