GLEN COVE, NY.- A monumental outdoor “Shark” sculpture, measuring 18 Ft. in length, by contemporary artist RISK (Kelly Graval) will take center stage at Roland Auctions NY first auction of the New Year on Saturday, January 7th.

RISK rose to prominence in the late 1980’s on the West Coast, as one of the first Graffiti artists to break into the mainstream art world. Several years back, he debuted a series of sculptures called “Face Your Fears” which included a limited number of variations on Shark and Dolphin sculptures made of various metals.

This “Shark” (2018) made from found metal objects, is one of the artist’s first Shark sculptures, was first exhibited on the collector’s Long Island property where it still stands and will be auctioned directly from the property, through Roland Auctions NY in Glen Cove on the North Shore of Long Island. The piece is estimated at $100,000 - $150,000.

RISK's sculptures are both artistic and political statements. His "Face Your Fears" series come from a discussion with famed California artist, Ed Moses, who challenged RISK to incorporate things he was afraid of in his work. As a surfer, he decided to do a series of shark sculptures from reclaimed items. But his first controversial piece was an actual LAPD Police Cruiser intricately cut in half lengthwise. Over the years, RISK has transitioned from a Graffiti pioneer to a successful Contemporary artist, creating bright neon pieces, colorful canvases or massive sculptures, while also being known as one of the world’s most sought-after large scale muralists.

Throughout his career, he has become popular with and collaborated with many musical icons; Aerosmith, Blink 182, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, House of Pain, Ice Cube, Bad Religion, Slash and Halsey.

RISK was one of a handful or artists worldwide invited to paint at the 2019 Super Bowl by the NFL and has worked on brand projects for Monster Energy, Lyft and Indian Motorcycles and Marvel Studios.