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Isaac “Drift” Wright Arrested by NYPD at Solo Show Opening

BY Matt Medved •

May 16, 2025

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In a stunning turn during what was meant to be a triumphant night, artist Isaac Wright — known professionally as “Drift” — was arrested by NYPD officers midway through the opening of his solo exhibition in Chelsea on Thursday evening.

On Friday, an NYPD spokesperson confirmed to Now Media that Wright, 29, was arrested and charged with criminal trespassing in the third degree, a class B misdemeanor under New York State law. The spokesperson said Wright had received a desk appearance ticket and was no longer in custody.

Wright’s “Coming Home” show at Robert Mann Gallery, which drew a sizable crowd and recent coverage from The New York Times, became the site of a dramatic law enforcement intervention that left attendees shaken and outraged.

According to two eyewitnesses present at the event, the arrest occurred at approximately 7:55 p.m., roughly two hours after the exhibition opened to the public. The incident unfolded swiftly, but not without signs of premeditation.

“There was this woman in the gallery just lurking,” said Edward Zipco, co-founder of Superchief Gallery. “People were talking about it later like it was a honeypot. Apparently, she was undercover. After about half an hour, she signaled to the police.”

Moments later, uniformed officers entered the space and quickly located Wright, who was dressed in a tuxedo for the occasion. “They just came in, turned him around, cuffed him, and brought him out,” said Zipco “He was very cooperative. There was no issue.”

Vitaliy Raskolov, the founder of On the Roofs, a collective of urban explorers, expressed disbelief over the timing and setting of the arrest.

“I’ve been exploring for over 16 years and done exhibitions all over the world, and no one gets arrested,” says Raskalov. “I’ve never seen anything like this before. The cops could’ve called him, or gone to his house. To arrest the guy at his own exhibition, in front of cameras and everyone — it just makes people hate the police even more.”

Now Media has reached out to Wright for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.

While unconfirmed, both Zipco and Raskalov believe the arrest stems from Wright’s previous ascent of the Empire State Building. A photograph from the climb was reportedly included in the exhibition, potentially drawing the attention of law enforcement.

“The feeling right now is that it’s related to the Empire State climb,” Zipco said. “There is a photograph of it in the show.”

Wright, a U.S. Army veteran, has built a devoted following online for his breathtaking rooftop and high-altitude photography, which he minted as NFTs in highly successful collections like “Where My Vans Go.” He has spoken publicly about how photography helped him heal from PTSD following his military service. His work often involves scaling iconic buildings without permission — an act that has brought both acclaim and legal scrutiny.

Raskalov emphasized that urban explorers only document rather than vandalize or steal, and said he believes Wright may be facing a misdemeanor at most.

“We’re artists, not criminals,” Raskalov said. “But they see that completely differently.”

Editor’s note: This is a developing story and will be updated with more details. On Friday, this story was updated to include confirmation of Wright’s arrest, charge, and custody status.

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