Similar to Barry McGee, Stephen Powers’s street art transitioned into art galleries with ease. His humorous and occasionally heartfelt aphorism contrasted the roughness of the graffiti world and as a result broadened his appeal. But what graffiti offered him that galleries couldn’t was democratization of his artwork. Tracing back to his routes, Powers initiated in a succession of sanctioned outdoor campaigns beginning in Ireland and taking that concept to Philadelphia and Brooklyn. The Love Letter series were a collection of murals with ardent expressions of love in urban environments. This September, Powers brings his art back to the gallery walls with “A Word is Worth A Thousand Pictures” at Joshua Liner in Chelsea.