The Wide World of Graffiti. Alan Ket. 2023

The Wide World of Graffiti by Alan Ket is a comprehensive exploration of graffiti art, tracing its evolution from a marginalized expression to a globally recognized art form. The book delves into the origins of graffiti in the late 1960s and 1970s, primarily in Philadelphia and New York City, where it began as a voice for youth who felt excluded from mainstream society. Ket, a graffiti writer and co-founder of the Museum of Graffiti in Miami, provides an informed perspective, blending personal experience with scholarly insight.

The narrative chronicles the development of graffiti, emphasizing its grassroots beginnings and connections with other subcultures such as skateboarding, hip-hop, and tattooing. This holistic approach provides a broad understanding of the cultural milieu that nurtured graffiti's growth. Ket documents how graffiti evolved over decades from simple tags to complex murals, reflecting the changing social and political landscapes. The book offers a detailed account of various styles and techniques, highlighting how graffiti artists and street artists have pushed the boundaries of traditional art forms.

A significant portion of the book is dedicated to the diverse voices within the graffiti community. Ket features a wide range of artists, from pioneers to contemporary figures, offering readers a glimpse into their lives and creative processes. This diversity showcases the global nature of graffiti and its adaptability across different cultures and environments. Including interviews and personal stories broadens the narrative, providing context to the visual art presented.

The Wide World of Graffiti is richly illustrated, featuring hundreds of photographs that capture the vibrancy and diversity of graffiti art. These images are not merely supplementary but are integral to the book's narrative, illustrating the dynamic nature of graffiti. The visual documentation includes everything from intricate wall pieces to bold street tags, offering a visual feast for readers.

Ket also addresses the challenges and controversies surrounding graffiti. He explores the legal and social issues, including the criminalization of graffiti and the tension between graffiti as an art form and its often-illegal nature. The book discusses the societal backlash against graffiti and the resilience of artists who continue to create despite obstacles. This critical examination provides a balanced view of graffiti, acknowledging its complexities and the broader implications of its presence in public spaces.

The Wide World of Graffiti is an invaluable resource for those interested in understanding graffiti's historical and cultural significance. It offers a layered and subtly applied portrayal of graffiti, celebrating its role as a form of public art that challenges conventions and inspires change. The book serves scholars, enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the multifaceted world of graffiti.

            Text: Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo     Fotos: Sebastian Kläbsch

Graffitti Grrlz: Performing Feminism in the Hip Hop Diaspora. Jessica Nydia Pabón-Colón. 2018

"Graffiti Grrlz: Performing Feminism in the Hip Hop Diaspora" by Jessica Nydia Pabón-Colón provides an insightful look into the world of women graffiti artists, challenging the perception that graffiti is a male-dominated subculture. This book highlights the contributions of over 100 women graffiti artists from 23 countries, showcasing how they navigate, challenge, and redefine the graffiti landscape.

From the streets of New York to the alleys of São Paulo, Pabón-Colón explores the lives and works of these women, presenting graffiti as a space for the performance of feminism. The book examines how these artists build communities, reshape the traditionally masculine spaces of hip hop, and create networks that lead to the formation of all-girl graffiti crews and painting sessions. This aspect is particularly useful in understanding how digital platforms have broadened the reach and impact of women graffiti artists, facilitating connections and collaborations worldwide.

One of the central themes of "Graffiti Grrlz" is the concept of feminist masculinity. Pabón-Colón shows how women graffiti artists adopt and adapt traits such as aggression, assertiveness, and daring to gain respect and assert their presence in the graffiti world. Artists like Miss17 and ClawMoney illustrate this theme, using their graffiti personas to challenge gender norms and redefine what it means to be a woman in the subculture. The book captures Miss17's sentiment: "We're women: that's about all that's feminine about it. The rest of it is a masculine thing."

Another important theme is the reclamation and documentation of "herstory." Pabón-Colón emphasizes the need to recognize and remember the contributions of women in graffiti, who have often been overlooked in many narratives. By highlighting pioneers like Lady Pink and contemporary artists like AbbyTC5, the book stresses the importance of documenting the historical and ongoing presence of women in graffiti.

Pabón-Colón also addresses the intersection of feminism and hip hop, showing how women graffiti artists engage with feminist ideas within the context of hip hop culture. The book moves beyond simplistic notions of "girl power" to an understanding of feminism that includes strength, resilience, and community. ClawMoney's reflection that graffiti taught her "work ethic" and "aesthetic" exemplifies this engagement.

The book also discusses the challenges and pressures faced by women in graffiti. Artists like Motel7 and EGR talk about the difficulties of conforming to or rejecting traditional gender roles and how their graffiti personas provide an outlet for authentic self-expression. This theme highlights how these women use graffiti to navigate and resist societal expectations.

"Graffiti Grrlz" blends scholarly analysis with personal narratives, making it accessible to both academics and general readers. Pabón-Colón's writing captures the dynamic spirit of graffiti culture. The book encourages readers to rethink gender norms and appreciate the diverse contributions of women in graffiti. By highlighting their resilience, creativity, and impact on the subculture, "Graffiti Grrlz" shows how women have been challenging long-standing stereotypes. Pabón-Colón's research and storytelling make this book a valuable read for anyone interested in hip hop, feminism, and graffiti.

            Text: Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo   Fotos: Sebastian Kläbsch

Kodak Girl: From the Martha Cooper Collection. John P. Jacob (ed.). 2012

"Kodak Girl: From the Martha Cooper Collection", edited by John P. Jacob with essays by Alison Nordström and Nancy M. West, provides an in-depth examination of Kodak's influential marketing campaign centered around the iconic Kodak Girl. With a riveting collection of photographs and related ephemera, the book dives into the intersection of technology, culture, and the role of gender in the late 19th to the mid 20th centuries. It offers readers a comprehensive look at how Kodak not only transformed photography into a widely accessible hobby but also significantly influenced societal perceptions of women.

The personal collection curated by Martha Cooper is an extensive archive of Kodak Girl ephemera, featuring advertisements, photographs, and various memorabilia. Through these images, the book showcases the evolution of the Kodak Girl from a symbol of leisurely, upper-class femininity to an emblem of the modern, independent woman. This transition reflects broader societal changes, including women's increasing participation in the workforce and public life. The book’s rich visual content and insightful commentary contextualizes these shifts within the framework of early photographic practices and marketing strategies.

John P. Jacob’s foreword introduces readers to the historical context of Kodak's rise and the innovative marketing techniques that George Eastman employed. By placing a camera in the hands of the fashionable Gibson Girl, Eastman created the Kodak Girl, a figure that resonated with the Progressive Era's ideals. This strategic move highlighted the ease of using Kodak cameras, making photography accessible to women and, by extension, to families and the broader public. The Kodak Girl became an aspirational figure, symbolizing both technological progress and evolving gender roles.
Alison Nordström’s essay delves into the cultural history of photography during the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era, emphasizing the Kodak Girl’s role in democratizing photography. She explains how the Kodak Girl was more than just a marketing ploy; she was a reflection of the societal transformations occurring at the time. As women began to step outside traditional domestic roles, the Kodak Girl embodied this newfound independence and mobility, promoting the idea that photography was an activity for everyone, not just professional photographers.

Nancy M. West’s contribution explores the broader implications of the Kodak Girl in the context of American social and economic history. She argues that the Kodak Girl campaign was vital in shaping consumer culture, using nostalgia and modernity to appeal to a wide audience. West’s analysis highlights how the Kodak Girl helped normalize the presence of women in public spaces and modern advancements, reinforcing the notion that photography could capture everyday moments and special occasions alike.

The Kodak Girl serves as a lens through which we can examine the broader narrative of American life, illustrating how marketing strategies can reflect and shape societal values. "Kodak Girl: From the Martha Cooper Collection" is a celebration of photography’s impact on American culture and an homage to the women who played a pivotal role in this visual revolution. Through meticulous research and a rich compilation of visual artifacts, this book provides an understanding of the Kodak Girl's significance, making it an essential resource for historians, photography enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the interplay between advertising and social change.
           

            Text: Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo   Fotos: Sebastian Kläbsch

Martha Cooper . Tokyo Tattoo 1970. 2012.

In "Tokyo Tattoo 1970," photographer Martha Cooper, well-known for her definitive work on New York City's graffiti scene, applies her ethnographic skills to document traditional Japanese tattooing. This book provides a clear and respectful portrayal of a secretive and highly specialized art form, preserved in black-and-white film photography. Through Cooper's lens, readers gain access to the traditional techniques and cultural narratives embedded in Japanese tattoo art, offering insights into an art form that was largely inaccessible during the early 1970s.

Martha Cooper’s photography highlights how these practices are deeply embedded in Japan's cultural history. The photographs capture the intricate process of tattooing, from the preparation of tools to the detailed execution of traditional motifs and techniques, which are derived from Japanese legends and folklore. Cooper's exceptional access to Horibun I, a master tattooist, allows for a detailed study of the tattoo process and its intimate yet everyday nature. Her ability to document these private sessions showcases the skill and patience required in traditional tattooing, providing a window into the personal expression and cultural heritage reflected in each design and the results of careful study over time.

The book also addresses the broader acceptance of tattooing, documenting a period when this art form was beginning to gain international attention. Cooper’s documentary-style work plays a crucial role in preserving the artistic practice of tattooing without influencing it or editorializing.

As a trained ethnographer, Cooper’s approach to her subjects is methodical and grounded in a deep respect for cultural expressions. It will appeal to readers interested in the art of tattooing and those who appreciate the documentation of subcultures. It provides a valuable perspective on the communication, evolution, and influence of subcultures within mainstream culture, enriching our understanding of human artistic expression at its nexus with honor, tradition, and study.

            Text: Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo Fotos: Sebastian Kläbsch

NESPOON. NESPOON. 2023

"NeSpoon," a monograph on the work of the Polish artist, provides a comprehensive examination of her unique integration of lace patterns into urban and natural landscapes. The book, limited to 111 copies, each spanning over 420 pages, showcases the artist's extensive portfolio and delves into the anthropology, cultural, and historical significance underlying her chosen medium.

NeSpoon revitalizes the traditional craft of lace-making, tracing its roots back to the mid-sixteenth century in Venice and Flanders. This blend of past and present is a recurring theme in her art, as she applies centuries-old designs to contemporary settings. Beyond aesthetic enhancement, her projects aim to instill harmony and natural order—qualities she believes are inherent in lace patterns.

“Why lace? It just came to me. Lace chose me, not the other way around. I've never liked lace. Before I started working with it, I thought lace was something old-fashioned, from a grandmother's dusty apartment. Today it seems to me that each lace harbors harmony, balance and a sense of natural order. Isn't that just what we are all searching for instinctively?”

The methodology is thoroughly documented, charting the transition from smaller ceramic motifs to large-scale murals worldwide. NeSpoon's art, involving stencils, ceramics, and yarn, serves as a medium for exploring diverse cultural contexts. Every installation, whether on city buildings or along Baltic Sea beaches, is based on significant research and local tradition engagement.

The book also reflects NeSpoon’s social activism, highlighting her efforts to address visual pollution in public spaces and her sensitive approach to areas affected by war, such as Mostar, Bosnia, and Herzegovina. These sections emphasize the artist's use of art for social commentary and change.

Academically, "NeSpoon" offers insightful perspectives on how contemporary art engages with traditional crafts and societal issues. Enhanced by the artist’s reflections, the volume provides a comprehensive view of her artistic journey and contributions.

The self-produced book offers a personal insight into NeSpoon's world without external academic critique or analysis, which leaves room for further interpretation of her place within the broader narrative of contemporary street art and its intersections with cultural heritage and community engagement. "NeSpoon" is a notable contribution to contemporary art literature, particularly for those interested in the synergy between historical crafts and modern artistic practices, including street art, graffiti, and public art.

            Text: Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo Fotos: Sebastian Kläbsch

REVS, XSOUP, and ARBOR. Life's A Mission Then You're Dead. 2022

In the pantheon of New York graffiti legends at the turn of the century, few names resonate like REVS. Thanks to the regard other writers have for him “Life's A Mission Then You're Dead,” compiled alongside XSOUP and ARBOR, stands as a monumental tribute to the gritty essence and raw spirit of the city’s subterranean graffiti culture. The 510-page tome emerges not only as a collection of inside views but as an immersive chronicle of the lives, thoughts, and experiences of over a hundred NYC graffiti writers. Each account is a testament to the unvarnished reality of the streets, capturing the adrenaline, artistry, and audacity of those who dare to leave their mark in the most impermanent of all galleries: the urban cityscape.

REVS, a figure shrouded in as much mystery as infamy, once compelled New Yorkers to venture into the city’s underbelly to catch a glimpse of his diaristic tunnel entries; extensive and at times, colorful, personal accounts that are said to number 230 or more. Here he expands his canvas to include his peers, offering readers direct access to a world that, until now, has been preserved through underground storytelling in the subway corridors and alleyways. His collaboration with XSOUP and ARBOR transcends traditional graffiti documentation, presenting a narrative mosaic that pieces together the fragmented, vibrant, and often misunderstood subculture from which they emerge.

The book's allure is enhanced by its unique aesthetic, with all covers hand-drawn by REVS himself, imbuing each copy with a sense of personal touch and authenticity. This physicality of the book mirrors the tangible, often perilous nature of graffiti writing itself—a medium where the act of creation is as fleeting as it is permanent.

"Life's A Mission Then You're Dead" does more than archive the ephemeral; it delves into the psyche of the graffiti writer, exploring the paradoxes of visibility and anonymity, community and isolation, ephemerality and immortality. The narratives within, rich with individual truths, opinions, and emotions, serve not only as a record but as a lens through which the uninitiated can gain insight into the complex, contradictory world of graffiti.

The significance of this publication is not just for those within the graffiti world but also for scholars, historians, and enthusiasts eager to explore the layers beneath the spray paint. Through the collective voice of its writers, it narrates a story of resilience, rebellion, and the relentless quest for a semblance of immortality on the fleeting canvases of city streets.

            Text: Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo      Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

Enrico Bonadio. Protecting Art in the Street: A Guide to Copyright in Street Art and Graffiti. 2020

Enrico Bonadio, a seasoned expert in copyright law, delves into the complexities of legal rights surrounding street art and graffiti in this insightful book, "Protecting Art in the Street." Accompanied by a foreword from renowned graffiti writer, artist, and historian Zephyr, the book serves as a thorough and accessible guide for artists in understanding and navigating copyright laws.

Bonadio underscores the heightened vulnerability of street art and graffiti to unauthorized use and exploitation. He highlights that these art forms, often placed in public spaces, face greater risks of misappropriation and destruction compared to traditional fine art. This vulnerability, he points out, has led to an increase in legal actions against those who commercialize these works without the artists' consent or proper compensation.

Drawing from his rich experience in areas known for their vibrant street art culture, like East London's Shoreditch, Bonadio emphasizes the necessity of legal protection for street art, even when it is created outside legal boundaries. He challenges the misconception that the public placement of these artworks equates to relinquishing copyright protection, asserting that artists still hold rights over their creations.

The book offers practical guidance for street artists and graffiti writers seeking to use copyright law to protect their work. Bonadio clarifies legal implications of public space art and delineates the rights artists maintain over their work, including commissioned and illegally produced pieces. He also explores strategies for opposing the destruction or removal of art and suggests ways for artists to derive value from their creations.

A significant quantity of arguments has arisen in the 2020’s as a result of the impact of landmark cases like the 5Pointz dispute in New York, where street and graffiti artists were awarded damages under the US Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA). While not directly related in all aspects to Bonadio’s arguments, this case and others that are similar underscore a narrowing gap between street art and fine art in legal terms, challenging previously held perceptions about graffiti and street art and suggesting codified legal avenues for offering protection.

"Protecting Art in the Street" transcends being a legal guide; it represents Bonadio’s scholarship and advocacy for artists' rights. His research illuminates the growing relevance of copyright law to street art and graffiti and asserts its right to the same protections as other forms of creative expression that are more traditionally prized institutionally. The book is an essential resource for artists, legal practitioners, and art enthusiasts, providing a comprehensive understanding of the legal landscape for street art and graffiti. Bonadio's work reminds readers of the importance of legal awareness in these artistic communities, underscoring his commitment to supporting artists and their creative freedoms.

            Text Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo      Fotos Eveline Wilson

Ann Van Hulle, ROA Codex. 2019

"ROA Codex," a comprehensive exploration of the enigmatic Belgian street artist ROA, compiled by Ann Van Hulle with notable contributions from Lucy Lippard and Johan Braeckman and others, offers an unfiltered window into a decade of work that defies conventional artistic boundaries. ROA's journey, beginning in the industrial landscapes of Belgium, extends to global outdoor canvases, where his art disrupts the mundane, evoking a primal connection to the natural world.

In this monograph, ROA's artistry is portrayed as large-scale murals and an ongoing dialogue between our baffling constructed human existence and the animal kingdom. His work, often emerging from unexpected urban and rural backdrops, confronts the viewer with the familiar yet unknown. This juxtaposition of animals and architecture, depicted in stark monochrome, resonates with an uncanny sense of the creatures within and around us, often forgotten in our contemporary lifestyles.

ROA's contribution to the iconic 2011 'Art in The Streets' exhibition at MOCA in Los Angeles marked a significant milestone in his career, yet his practice remains unbound by location. His studio is as nomadic as his art, creating site-specific pieces deeply ingrained in the local context. ROA's process involves scavenging materials from his temporary surroundings, each location offering new encounters and inspirations, further expanding his artistic narrative.

"ROA Codex" is a testament to this unique approach, showcasing over 300 images that chronicle ROA's global footprint. The book ventures deeply into the artist's method of integrating local environmental themes into his work, emphasizing the critical state of our ecosystem and, by association, our culpability. His subjects, whether living, skeletal or somewhere in between, are rendered with a raw realism that challenges the viewer's perception of nature and the expectations of street art.

The accompanying texts by various contributors meaningfully augment the visual narrative, providing context to ROA's art and its environmental implications, and they offer insights into his unconventional methodology.

"ROA Codex" is more than a collection of street art; it is an indispensable volume for those interested in the intersection of art, environmentalism, and the dynamics of urban and rural spaces. ROA's work, far from being simply an artistic endeavor, is a poignant reminder of our often-overlooked cohabitants on this planet, and a call to acknowledge and protect them.

            Text Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo      Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

Herbert Kohl and James Hinton, Golden Boy as Anthony Cool. 1972

Herbert Kohl and James Hinton's “Golden Boy as Anthony Cool,” published in 1972, is a seminal work in the study of urban graffiti and street culture. Not only an academic exploration; it's a journey into the heart of graffiti as a form of personal expression, rebellion, and cultural identity. Kohl's insightful essays paired with Hinton's evocative photographs provide a window into the lives of young people in the urban landscapes of New York City and Los Angeles as they simultaneously boil, wane and flourish in the late 60s and early 70s. These vibrant and vibrating communities are chronicled, whether affluent suburbs or struggling neighborhoods, each appears to brim with stories cryptically told through tags and murals on walls and doors.

As a crucial part of street art history, "Golden Boy as Anthony Cooll" is an essential resource for anyone interested in the roots of modern graffiti culture. Its compelling blend of vivid imagery and profound analysis not only makes it an invaluable addition to any collector’s library but also a portal to the dynamic world of urban street art. Simple and unassuming, the book is testament to graffiti's evolution, offering a deeper appreciation for the art form and the voices that shape it.

The book is about understanding and embracing the creative spirit, the boundless energy, and intense desire that reside within young people. This book delves into the rites and cultures, the clues, scraps, and words that, when pieced together, narrate the story of the authors, the writers, the artists, and the revolutionaries. Here we recognize that some individuals express through graffiti what they cannot vocalize openly in the presence of others, using anonymity and walls as their canvas to convey their deepest thoughts and feelings.

"Golden Boy as Anthony Cool" stands as a pioneering work in the study of text-based graffiti, predating its recognition as a legitimate art form. This early, in-depth study documents the nascent practices of naming and tagging, reframing graffiti as a nuanced and expressive street language rather than mere vandalism. The book uncovers the layered meanings in urban graffiti, from declarations of love and loyalty to acts of resistance.

More than just a compilation of photographs and essays, this book serves as a guide to understanding the urban landscape from the perspective of its most vocal inhabitants. It explores the significance of street names, the social and political messages in graffiti, and provides insights into the communities and individuals behind these markings. Kohl and Hinton capture a pivotal moment in cultural history, showcasing graffiti as an emerging medium of self-expression and social commentary.

            Text Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo      Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

Al Diaz, Eric Felisbret, and Mariah Fox. City of Kings: A History of NYC Graffiti. Second Edition 2022

"City of Kings: A History of NYC Graffiti" is a crafted exploration of the graffiti scene's historical roots in New York City. Born from a prominent exhibition co-curated by Al Diaz, Eric Felisbret, and Mariah Fox, this book transcends the role of a mere catalog to become a substantive text that presents a detailed overview of the graffiti movement in a structured, academic, and engaging manner.
Al Diaz, an original New York graffiti writer and a member of the influential SAMO© duo with Basquiat, not only shares his own contributions but also illuminates the collaborative history of the movement. He eloquently describes the perseverance of graffiti artists, painting a vivid picture of their dedication.

The book is organized into well-defined chapters, tracing the evolution of graffiti from "Genesis (1967-1971) The Wall Era" to "Eternal (1989-Present) The Fields Blur." This chronological approach provides a comprehensive account of the graffiti scene's development within the context of changing socio-economic and cultural landscapes. The authors employ a research-based methodology, a substantial knowledge base, and first-person narratives to emphasize key milestones and transitions.
Eric Felisbret, known for his graffiti artistry as DEAL CIA and his co-authored book "Graffiti New York," contributes valuable scholarly insights and archival expertise. His presence lends credibility to the book's factual accuracy and historical depth.

Mariah Fox, an educator and curator, adds an academic rigor to the presentation while paying respectful homage to graffiti culture and its contributors. Her background in graphic design and illustration, coupled with a scholarly understanding of graffiti, results in an educational and visually coherent storytelling style. Fox ensures that the material is curated inclusively and accessibly, serving as a valuable resource for educators and students.
The book features diverse voices from the graffiti community, including pioneers and critics, offering many perspectives on graffiti culture, its codes, influence, and evolution. These insights, shared by practitioners and observers deeply immersed in the scene, provide readers with a clear and unobstructed view of many complexities and debates within the graffiti narrative.

"City of Kings" surpasses the role of an exhibition catalog to become an essential text for educators, historians, and enthusiasts. It offers a reliable, well-rounded, and authentic resource for comprehending the rich and intricate history of graffiti in New York City. Through their unique perspectives as practitioners, scholars, and curators, the authors present an educational account of graffiti's history while respecting its roots and legacy.

            Text Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo    Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

Michael White (curator): "Dondi White (1961-1998): Dondism". Exhibition Retrospective Catalogue 7 avril- 10 mai 2018. 2018

"Dondi: Dondism" is a catalogue accompanying a 2018 retrospective exhibition held at the Ghost Galerie in Marseille, commemorating two decades since the passing of Dondi, an iconic figure in the New York City graffiti movement of the 1970s and 1980s. Curated by his brother Michael White, the exhibition displayed over 40 artworks from private European collections. These ranged from paintings on canvas, sketches, and collages on paper, to photographs taken by renowned photographers such as Martha Cooper, Henry Chalfant, and Sophie Bramly. The catalogue also features a poignant essay by Mr. White in memory of Donald J. White, popularly known as Dondi.

Born in Manhattan in 1961 and relocated to the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn at six months old, Dondi's life was shaped by his urban surroundings. Though his formative years were marked by challenges, including affiliations with street gangs for self-preservation, Dondi embarked on his graffiti journey in the 1970s. Initially using various aliases like BUS 129 and MR WHITE, he eventually adopted the moniker DONDI more consistently towards the decade's end. His affiliations with graffiti crews evolved over time, transitioning from TOP to his own crew, CIA (Crazy Inside Artists).

The catalogue underscores Dondi's seminal contribution to the then-nascent graffiti-writing scene, emphasizing his unique style writing, characterized by legible, dynamic, and intricately styled letters. His "Children of the Grave" series, composed of three whole cars painted on the New York City Subway from 1978-1980, stands as a testament to his prowess.

Dondi's impact wasn't restricted to underground art; he bridged the divide between street culture and the conventional art scene. Notably, he participated in the 1981 "Beyond Words" exhibition, organized by Futura and Fab Five Freddy, alongside luminaries like Keith Haring. Later in the 1980s, he showcased his canvas works at Patti Astor’s Fun Gallery, rubbing shoulders with artists like Basquiat and Haring.

Tragically passing away in 1998, Dondi's uncompromising dedication and innovation in the graffiti movement left an indelible mark. Through exhibitions like "Dondi: Dondism" and their accompanying catalogues, his enduring legacy and the profound influence he exerted on both the graffiti community and the larger art sphere continue to be celebrated.

            Text  Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo  Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

Steven P. Harrington, Jaime Rojo, and Martha Cooper, Martha Cooper: Taking Pictures. 2020

"Martha Cooper: Taking Pictures" is both a book and a catalogue published to accompany the eponymous exhibition of the photographic career of Martha Cooper at the Urban Nation Museum in Berlin (October 04, 2020 – May15, 2022). The book features lavish photo spreads showcasing Martha’s photographic journey over six decades, with a primary focus on Cooper’s pioneering documentation of the nascent graffiti and hip-hop movements in late 1970s New York City. Additionally, the book highlights lesser-known series such as those delving into Japanese tattoo culture and others into her captivating street photography works. A collection of essays further enriches the publication, penned by esteemed contributors including art critic, curator, and author Carlo McCormick; author and photographer Nika Kramer; author, curator, and Hip Hop historian Akim Walta; National Geographic's chief photo editor Susan Welchman; the curator of prints and photographs at the Museum of the City of New York, Sean Corcoran; and the exhibition's curators, Jaime Rojo and Steven P. Harrington.

Martha Cooper is a Manhattan-based documentary photographer known for captivating depictions of graffiti and hip-hop culture, which are considered foundational to the archival record and have garnered global recognition and extensive publication. "Martha Cooper: Taking Pictures", a pioneering endeavor that marked the premier all-encompassing retrospective of Martha Cooper's distinguished photographic trajectory up to now. This publication serves as a lasting testament, adeptly elucidating not only the essence of the exhibition but also presenting a view of Martha's overarching impact on the realm of photography at large, while weaving an integral thread into the annals of graffiti and hip-hop history.

The hardcover book embraces a treasure trove of previously unreleased photographs, accompanied by enlightening interviews and a compendium of 40 poignant quotes sourced from an eclectic spectrum of Martha's contemporaries, artists, authorities in the domains of photography, folklore, graffiti, and Hip Hop. The compilation extends to include companions, longstanding friends, and cherished family members. Of noteworthy mention is the book's cover, graced by a seldom-seen photograph that encapsulates the essence of graffiti writer Skeme, engaging in the daring pursuit of train surfing amidst the urban expanse of New York City, as immortalized by Martha's discerning lens in 1982.

The book unfolds across nine distinctive sections, each dedicated to Cooper's captivating photographs, and accompanied by an illuminating introductory narrative. These segments are as follows: Graffiti, Street Play, Hip Hop, New York City, Martha’s World, Martha Remixed, Tokyo Tattoo, Artist at Work, and Sowebo/Soweto 2006-16.

At 230 pages, the book is published by Urban Nation Museum for Urban and Contemporary Art, Berlin, and Steven P. Harrington / Jaime Rojo (BrooklynStreetArt.com). The book is available for sale at the museum’s gift shop and on view for you to peruse in the reading room.

            Text Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

Zebster, Martha Cooper & Henry Chalfant. On the Run Magazine, Black Books Volume 3: SEEN. 1999

A glossy photo volume of full-color bleeds from the 1970s-90s graffiti career of Bronx-born graffiti writer Richard "SEEN" Mirando, this magazine concentrates the width and depth of his creative output into one volume. Throw-ups, blockbusters, handball courts, whole top-to-bottom cars, they are all here, some of them snapped by famed photographers Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant.

A highly versatile and influential graffiti artist, SEEN created an indelible mark on the graffiti world with exceptional skills and a wide visual repertoire that expanded across 10s or 100s of New York City subways in the golden age of early graffiti. Throughout his career, SEEN has explored various aliases, each representing a distinct facet of his creative expression. He gained international acclaim for his innovative graffiti work, characterized by complex wildstyle lettering, vibrant colors, and intricate designs, as he first struck gold by being featured generously in the seminal 1983 movie “Wild Style,” directed by Charlie Ahearn.

The magazine features photos of trains and walls SEEN painted as part of UA (United Artists crew), who not only left an indelible mark on New York City's subway system but also played a crucial role in shaping the aesthetics and techniques of graffiti art worldwide. His many alias names allowed him to experiment in the graffiti subculture with different styles, including the pseudonyms "Richie, "Apache," “MAD”, and Madseen,” each of which is given a generous amount of play here.

As a bonus that adds to the readers' understanding of the artist and the scene during these halcyon days, candid shots are included, like one with SEEN and writer LEE Quinones from the Fabulous Five crew holding cans together –“ hanging out checking flicks at SEEN'e home

summer, 1979”. Elsewhere you see candids of him in action and of course, see him in a still from Style Wars. His interest in the cartoon characters that were popular in the early train-writing of this scene, populated by kids and young teens, is represented here with recognizable figures like Howard the Duck, Porky Pig, and the Incredible Hulk.

These early images are the only record of the work in most cases, and the captions, however cryptic, sometimes provide an additional layer of detail about friendships, the train's location, the train line, and possibly weather conditions.

“SEEN, J.SON, summer 1982

painted in the 6 yard (Bronx) on I.R.T. #6 train along with J.Son (the mob)”

" ‘Just Beautiful’ by SEEN and Zephy along on other cars with Daze, Dondi and Noc. 167 (when he made his comeback piece that night) in the #2 Yard, New Lots, Brooklyn”

“SEEN Blockbuster, ice cold winter 1979

side of gas station along the elevated tracks of da #6”

The photo collection is typically presented, sometimes without the highest production value, due to the difficulties within a chaotic underground scene where the art may not be captured and can be erased within hours of its creation. Yet this collection of SEE work is also characterized by his technical skills, vibrant color palette, and ability to push the boundaries of traditional letter-based graffiti. It is evident why his innovative and influential contributions to the graffiti art form have solidified his place as a significant figure in the graffiti subculture and the larger contemporary art world.

            Text  Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo  Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

Claudia Walde  & Luisa Heese. MadC: Street to Canvas. 2022

"MadC: Street to Canvas" is a captivating monograph that delves into the career of Claudia Walde, known as MadC, a prolific artist and muralist. Born in 1980, MadC embarked on her artistic journey in the 1990s as a graffiti artist in Bautzen, Germany, eventually transcending local scenes to create large-scale public murals in over 35 countries worldwide. Over time, her murals and canvases have garnered immense acclaim, blurring the boundaries between street art and fine art with their abstract compositions of sweeping lines and transparent layers of vibrant colors.

The book comprehensively explores MadC's artistic evolution, from her early graffiti days to her recent works. It serves as a monograph showcasing her diverse body of work, featuring both canvas pieces and large-scale murals situated in various locations around the globe, including London, Copenhagen, the Maldives, and Abu Dhabi. With over 200 artworks and personal photographs, the book illustrates MadC's use of color and movement captured through spray cans and brushstrokes. Readers gain insight into the artist's resilience and whole-hearted dedication, which propelled her work into galleries, private collections, and institutions.

In addition to rich color plates, the book skillfully weaves biographical details and aesthetic descriptions throughout the narrative, offering dense and colorful prose that delves deeper into MadC's artistic tenacity and devotion. This approach effectively grounds MadC's artistic practice within the cultural context of graffiti. Readers trace her journey from an apprentice to a master of graffiti styles and idioms, witnessing the evolution of her techniques, methods, and visual language. The book showcases the artist's creative process, revealing how her work evolves from deconstructed forms to balanced compositions that exude a sense of freedom and energy.

A notable highlight within the book is the 700 Wall painted by MadC in Peissen, Germany, in 2010. This monumental artwork serves as an aerosol autobiography, showcasing her growth as an artist within the secretive graffiti subculture. Through a dramatic rendering of her inner life, the 700 Wall becomes a captivating projection of dreams, nightmares, and personal aspirations. The narrative surrounding this graffiti masterpiece provides a fascinating glimpse into the codes and culture that shaped MadC's artistic identity.

"MadC: Street to Canvas" is a visual pleasure for art enthusiasts and a testament to the power of art as a universal language that connects and inspires. Claudia Walde's journey from graffiti writer to renowned muralist is meticulously chronicled in this monograph, cementing her status as a sought-after artist whose work seamlessly crosses from the streets to the gallery.

            Text Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

The Faith of Graffiti. Norman Mailer & Jon Naar. 1974

In his notable essay from 1974 that is here turned into a book, titled 'The Faith of Graffiti', Norman Mailer, an American writer, novelist, and journalist, embarks on an exploration of graffiti as a significant artistic and political expression. Right from the outset, Mailer establishes a captivating tone as he seamlessly interweaves the names of graffiti writers such as CAY 161, TAKI 183, and JUNIOR 161 with those of revered masters from various art movements throughout history, including Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Rothko, and Ellsworth Kelly. In doing so, Mailer bestows validation upon the work of graffiti writers and recognizes graffiti itself as a consequential art movement of the 20th Century.

While Mailer's comparison drew criticism and ignited debates, particularly due to concerns about him legitimizing what some perceived as mere property damage, his unique writing style also faced scrutiny. Detractors argued that his outsider perspective may have imposed limitations on his ability to understand the subculture accurately and that his descriptions of graffiti were overly romanticized. Perhaps not surprisingly, the essay also sparked allegations surrounding issues of cultural appropriation.

Despite these critiques, 'The Faith of Graffiti' remains a thought-provoking and impactful piece of literature that delves into the intricate relationship between graffiti, art, and society. Mailer's examination of graffiti as a form of artistic expression intertwined with political and social contexts provides readers with a compelling lens through which to view this dynamic art form.

In his 1974 review in The New York Times, John C. Lane said, “Jon Naar and Norman Mailer have produced a remarkable and beautiful book which captures in word and photograph the vitality and dedication of the young "writers" of the subway cars, those muralists who have turned their talent to graffiti... It is the photographs in this book that are most memorable.”

‘The Faith of Graffiti’ remains relevant because it documents a pivotal artistic movement that eventually would transform the urban landscape globally and influence subsequent generations of artists. It serves as a time capsule as well, capturing the spirit of creativity, rebellion, and self-expression that defined the graffiti culture of that era. From a photographic perspective, it is a visually captivating and historically significant book that offers a glimpse into a transformative moment in art history and may spark discussion, inviting readers to explore the multifaceted nature of graffiti culture – all the while encouraging a critical examination of its portrayal by people outside its original core of creators.

            Text Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

Permanently Improvised. Various & Gould, 2019

The word "improvised" may lead one to believe that street artists create without planning, hoping for a miracle. However, Various & Gould, a Berlin-based street art duo, have a whimsical spirit and embrace unexpected outcomes, but their 15-year body of work is characterized by extensive planning and purposeful consideration. They dedicate themselves to the scientific process of experimentation, discovery, and analysis, placing them in a category of their own among the many artists during this era of personal expression in public spaces.

The book "Permanently Improvised" offers an overview of eight major campaigns created by the duo from the mid-2000s to the late-2010s in various locations such as streets, parks, and hidden doorways. This comprehensive work is accompanied by analytical essays by urban/art intellectuals, activists, and experts, including Jan Kage, Steven P. Harrington, Toby Ashraf, Alison Young, Luis Müller Phillip-Sohn, Ilaria Hoppe, Anne Wizorek, Mohamed Amjahid, and an illuminating interview with the artists and Polina Soloveichik. In situ images are also included, allowing readers to experience the duo's kooky-cryptic inner fantasy world and gain insight into their idiosyncratic approach - and the possibilities of hybrid thought in the future.

Various & Gould is an artistic duo that has been an integral part of Berlin's urban art scene during the first two decades of the century. Their work is characterized by a socially conscious approach that tackles issues such as diversity, migration, technological innovation, gender roles, and the definition of work in an unconventional and playful manner. Their love for paper is evident even when it proves fragile in harsh city conditions. An electrically charged declaration of hope on polluted city walls, their hand-made beacons include multi-colored patchworks of collaged faces, halftone murals painted dot by dot, vivid paper castings of monuments, and large images of smashed smartphones used as intaglio plates.

The first monograph of Various & Gould's work is a medium-sized hardcover book that features instructive and illustrative images of their works placed illegally in the streets, created in the studio, presented in galleries, and, in one case, Papier-mâchéd upon public sculptures of Marx and Engels. The work is delivered with sincere scholarship and humor, even during the process of creation, public interaction, and mid-degradation due to natural elements.

The campaigns on the street are formed with a knowledge of politics, history, and social commentary, providing viewers with a greater appreciation of the tribe-like mentality humans possess just beneath the veneer of civility - a dry timber poised to be sparked into flame. For example, the Wanted Witches campaign placed 13 portraits of modern pioneers in socio-political issues painted with phosphorus and encouraged viewers to light a match on them, taking public interaction beyond the realms with which we are familiar. The carefully planned and executed installation on city streets powerfully elevated the saint-like sacrifice of people who push ahead of us, sometimes burned at the stake as witches - whether literally or perhaps via a hostile media and politicized rhetoric.

At the root of much of V&G’s work is an examination of identity; its malleability, fluidity, and perceived relevance in societal strata. Many projects meditate on our flexible selves, as in Identikit, which interchanges personalities and keywords to present tensions and examine associations; St. Nimmerlein, which mocks the arbitrary power of declaring sainthood with fictional personas who surely don’t deserve it; and Face Time, a Dadaist study that combines the likenesses and features of many into implausible yet familiar glitch-humans. The early campaign Rabotniki mixes and matches bodies, parts, genders, classes, and identities in a handmade heart-conscious way.

Theirs is a unique cut-and-wheat paste approach; an improvisational technique that allows for discovery, insight, and humor. It translates well to their respected contemporary art practice. “Permanently Improvised” is a celebration of V&G’s unique approach to street art and their storied contribution to the Berlin street art scene and beyond.

            Text: Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo    Fotos: Sebastian Kläbsch

One Week with 1UP. Martha Cooper, Ninja K & 1UP Crew, 2018

“One Week with 1UP” is an adrenaline-fueled ride through Berlin's graffiti scene that captures the spirit of rebellion that has been present in this form of art since its inception. The book results from a serendipitous meeting between a veteran photojournalist and ethnographer Martha Cooper and the notorious Berlin-based graffiti crew 1UP. Along with photographer Ninja K, Cooper takes readers on a clandestine path through the streets of Berlin, where the 1UP crew uses various techniques and platforms to paint their way to fame.

This modern pairing captures the unruly spirit of graffiti over the past 50 years, confidently bringing it into the 2010s. The photographer, who has been documenting the scene since the 1970s, follows 1UP, one of the most prominent graffiti crews in Berlin, to capture their process, technique, and final product. Cooper's experience with the rise of graffiti in New York during the '70s and '80s makes her the ideal person to document its current state: She plays the role of a graffiti seer from the past, recognizing the same passion in today's youth using new technology and techniques to get up.

Running across rooftops, rappelling down walls, ducking through fences, spilling down steps - the 1UP crew plans each mission extensively and goes to great lengths to execute them. The book provides a rare look behind the scenes of Berlin graffiti in the 21st century, a city that has embraced the bohemian and rebellious types who have transformed large parts of its cityscape, making it a de facto capital of subculture, especially among the young.

Cooper’s experience as a photojournalist and documentarian gives a view through the lens that is frank and without filter. It keeps the book grounded, not wandering into heroism but capturing the energy and excitement of the 1UP crew's forbidden actions. Even without words, it tells a story through images of dedication, determination, persistence, and bravado.

“Illegal graffiti is still kind of a competition with writers on one side and cops on the other. Writers that lose can go to jail,” write Cooper and Ninja K in the afterword. “Success is measured by getting pieces up on walls or trains. To us, some actions seemed more about the thrills than about painting a dope piece- the higher the danger, the higher the score, with 1UP usually ahead.”

The book perhaps unintentionally prompts significant inquiries about graffiti's impact on art, vandalism, branding, and public and personal space. Along with the more evident and impressive visual results, the shock of some of these excursions highlights the role of graffiti in modern society and its relationship with the city and private/state property. Photos are accompanied by a journal of experiences, opinions, and witty observations. This adventure of cat and mouse with authority is sincere, satirical, and even sadistic in its humor. At times the psychological planning and theorizing reach military realms, and then you remember we’re just talking about painting.

“Let’s go! 10 writers, 3 checkers, 2 videographers, and 2 photographers race down the stairs towards the train as stunned passengers look on.”

Some may see the 1UP crew's unconventional artmaking to cross physical safety and social boundaries, and the book provides a unique glimpse into their mindset; here seen operating under a principle of solidarity, where every member contributes to ensuring the mission's success and everyone's safety. “One United Power stands for unity,” they say in the foreword, “without individual names and, above all, without egotism.” This philosophy reflects the crew's beliefs in collaboration and teamwork, which are uncommon in an art form characterized by individual expression.

“Hanging with the crew gave us an in-depth look at the tools, techniques, motivations, and personalities of today's graffiti writers,” say the photographers. “We felt privileged to be allowed to watch them meticulously prepare before leaving for some of their complicated actions. We often felt we were in a spy movie with burner phones, masks, encrypted messages, and a hidden web of people working together to ensure everyone's safety.”

“One Week with 1UP” is a must-read for anyone interested in the present state of graffiti and street art. It provides an extraordinary look into the world of one particularly infamous graffiti crew and documents their actions in stunning detail. It's a book that may leave readers with a newfound appreciation for the art of graffiti and a deeper understanding of the culture that surrounds it.

            Text: Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo     Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

Let Her Be Free. ICY and SOT, 2016

"Let Her Be Free" chronicles the journey of Iranian brothers Icy and Sot as street artists and the evolution of their work over the decade from the mid-2000s to the mid-2010s. The book showcases the brothers' activism through their art and their efforts to bring attention to many important social and political issues, including human rights, women's political and personal autonomy, environmental justice, migration, gun violence, capitalism, the effects of war, homelessness, police brutality, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, free speech, and child welfare.

Growing up in Tabriz, Iran, Icy and Sot participated as teens in a street culture that encompassed skateboarding and a slowly burgeoning street art scene, perhaps feeding their desire for self-expression and personal activism. They began experimenting with different techniques and styles in places like Tehran, where local artists like A1one, Magoi, CK1, and Bigchiz dominated the street art scene, in turn inspiring others. As news of the emerging growth of street art in the West gained cultural currency on the Internet, the brothers were also influenced by international street artists such as Banksy, whom they looked up to as role models.

Leaving their home country for Brooklyn, New York, they continued to develop their skills and gained recognition as street artists on a wider platform thanks to exhibitions and exposure in the press. Their work became recognizable for its use of stencils often underwritten by solid political messages. Over the next decade, Icy and Sot traveled the world, exhibiting their artworks in countries such as the US, Germany, China, Norway, Italy, and Australia. They collaborated with other artists, climbed walls, hung off ladders, skated through streets, and experimented with different materials and techniques to create their art – increasingly on display at street art festivals and in the gallery setting.

Icy and Sot's work has often been compared to Banksy's, especially regarding their shared use of art as a voice for the voiceless. They use their street art to resist censorship, challenge accepted conventional wisdom, and bring attention to abuses of power with an ability to express complex social and political issues both indirectly and straightforwardly.

The book is filled with over 200 full-color images that document the brothers' art, showcasing their work in Iran and cities worldwide, providing a retrospective of their first-decade evolution as street artists. "Let Her Be Free" is introduced by Jess X Chen and features an afterword by Jaime Rojo and Steven P. Harrington, the founders of Brooklyn Street Art. The book also includes quotes from prominent street artists and contemporaries, including John Fekner, Faith47, Niels “Shoe” Meulman, Hugo Kaagman, and Adam Neate. It is an in-depth look at the brothers' work, which first became recognizable for its stridently activist and human voice on the street, likely inspiring a new generation of artists who want to bring attention to the issues they care about.

            Text: Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo    Fotos: Sebastian Kläbsch

Spray Nation. 1980s NYC Graffiti Photographs. Martha Cooper 2022

A generous collection of newly unearthed photographs documenting New York’s golden graffiti age from one of the celebrated visual documentarians, Spray Nation expands the conversations discussing the so-called ‘birth of graffiti’ for five decades. With hundreds of pages of newly published photographs culled from the archives that first produced her book Subway Art with Henry Chalfant, the book features unseen pictures of tags, throw-ups, whole car pieces, graffiti writer portraits, and even a few celebrity shots from those halcyon days when graffiti was first being embraced by the gallery and nightlife scene in early 1980s New York. Along with graffiti historian Roger Gastman, Martha Cooper dug through her thousands of 35mm Kodachrome slides to reassess her collection of photographs.

Given how influential the graffiti scene became worldwide during the decades after this first explosion on New York’s subway trains, what they uncover here only confirms the foundational practices and styles of those first graffiti writers. These (usually) young aerosol and marker users painted trains illegally and secretly to claim visual territory in an often chaotic, busy city that appeared to overlook them. They sprayed to promote their names, claim territory, put forth new ideas for discussion, and ultimately impress their peers with stunts that proved their athleticism and prowess at evading danger.

“Martha’s photos have backed up graffiti writers’ tall tales more times than I can count,” writes Gastman in his introduction. “They’re like this crazy high school yearbook. As a result, Cooper is who every graffiti writer, fan, collector, and researcher wants to come and see.”

As the title implies, the practice of graffiti writing grew to cities across the country, and these new action shots of walls and painted subway cars have been selected and digitized to show the range of styles that would soon follow. A trained ethnographer and professional news photographer, Cooper again presents a city as it is, without unnecessary flourish or presumptive storytelling.

Testifying to the significance of the evolving graffiti scene and the role of Cooper’s drive to preserve this ephemerous world with a singular vision are essays by Roger Gastman, Steven P. Harrington, Miss Rosen, Jayson Edlin, and Brian Wallis.

“Martha took pictures of painted trains and b-boys because few bothered to at that time. Once people caught on, she considered her task completed,” writes graffiti writer and historian Jayson Edlin in his essay. “Subway graffiti gradually died, street art rising from its ashes. Disinterest, drugs, and AIDS decimated NYC’s cultural apex, its brightest stars perishing before their work hit the seven-figure mark – lives as ephemeral as our pieces on the train.”

            Text: Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo/BrooklynStreetArt.com    Fotos Eveline Wilson

BANKSY IN NEW YORK. Ray Mock. 2019

For 31 days in October of 2013, UK street artist Banksy “gifted” New York City with daily new surprises on the streets in all five boroughs – effectively involving citizens in his self-designed residency. It is traditional for graffiti writers in New York to claim to go “all-city” and author Ray Mock has covered the tags, fill-ins, and pieces by hundreds of writers as a one-man documentarian of graffiti at Carnage NYC publishing. Here he tracks the daily movements of Banksy through the city to document the usual, unusual, and often witty acts of one of the most famous, yet anonymous, street artists and his presumed team of assistants, actors, and performers. Each installation has a story that is social or political, often with a deep sense of critique.

Banksy in New York is well-illustrated with shots of the odd and interesting installations of his “Better Out Than In” show as it was unveiled via social media. He also captures the scenes, sometimes containing mayhem, that popped up around them as word spread on social media that a new Banksy had appeared. For a New Yorker proud of his turf and a wizened observer of the rise in popularity of street art, Mock examines the various installations and looks for a personal firsthand voice to describe the art and the events so the reader may feel like they understand what it was like to be there.

The book captures how the Banksy team, with intention, wit, and flare, sets a new standard in the street art world by creating a direct link between his digital presence and the parallel physical artworks that included a full-city scavenger hunt, puppets, theater, performance, surprises, beef on the street, and a few sidewalk fights. It appears that Mock is surprised and bemused as well after a career of graffiti-chasing.

“I had mostly been shooting graffiti in recent years, preferably grimy tagged up doors, man-size fill-ins, freight trains and illegal pieces in abandoned buildings or along railroad tracks,” he says in the introduction to Banksy in New York. In it, the ‘residency’ is captured briefly but in many ways, it is comprehensive; including details like the defacement of his pieces, their removal, and reactions from building owners, neighbors, Banksy fans and foes alike.

            Text: Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo/BrooklynStreetArt.com   Fotos Eveline Wilson

SPRAYCAN ART. Henry Chalfant and James Prigoff. 1987.

The legendary SUBWAY ART illustrated book by Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant was the first to summarise graffiti writing, documenting the initial simple name-writing and the subsequent development of the motifs into masterpieces on the New York subway. Alongside films such as Style Wars, Wild Style! and Beat Street, the book exported the previously local phenomenon and thus gave the starting signal for a global graffiti movement.

SPRAYCAN ART from 1987, published three years later, shows the effects that the graffiti boom had worldwide in the meantime. Henry Chalfant and James Prigoff clearly focus on mostly elaborately designed legal New York wall productions, also by well-known train writers such as LEE, SEEN, T-KID or REVOLT, who did not yet play a major role in SUBWAY ART. In these Hall of Fame pieces, murals and commissioned works, figurative motifs are more in the foreground and the focus is on the high level of craftsmanship that the writers have now achieved.

In addition to the Five Boroughs, the events in American cities such as Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles are also highlighted. Although the New York writers were influential in shaping the style of the first graffiti wave, independent styles appeared in London, Amsterdam and Paris just a few years later, especially in Europe. Alongside the lettering, traditional motifs such as comic figures, subway trains or Bodé characters nevertheless dominate most of the images, following the example from overseas.

SPRAYCAN ART not only documents the rapid spread of the writing movement from Berlin to Sydney and Cleveland to Barcelona in the mid-1980s, but also showed the New York founders that their culture was not merely imitated, but adapted, understood and further developed. Two years before graffiti on the subways of the Big Apple was to come to a standstill, the illustrated book presents works on walls as a now almost equivalent form of graffiti.

Text Sascha Blasche Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

EINE STADT WIRD BUNT Hamburg Graffiti History. 2021

Preparing the graffiti history of a city is a major project. Although the first graffiti in the style of the New York model appeared in many major European cities in the early 1980s, they were only sparsely documented, if at all. The comparatively high cost of analog photography at the time often meant that not even the creators recorded their first attempts. Official publications devoted to the subject are rare, since most outsiders could do little with the images.

It was not until the early 1990s that protagonists began to publish scene magazines, so-called gray literature, from collected and exchanged photos. For the book EINE STADT WIRD BUNT (A CITY BECOMES COLORFUL), which was published in 2021, four of these editors joined forces and traced the first 20 years of the history of graffiti in Hamburg. Since each of them has been active in the urban scene for over 30 years, it was not only possible to gather over 1,300 photographs, some of them exclusive, but also to have contemporary witnesses and experts knowledgeable about the scene contribute texts that place the phenomenon in a larger social, cultural and urban historical context.

The result is a meticulously researched chronicle that sets standards in scope and detail. All relevant places and representatives of the scene are comprehensively presented and also actors without a direct background in writing such as OZ, ERIC or Peter-Ernst Eiffe, as well as political graffiti from the punk era are addressed.

The book also includes various photos of the actors, newspaper articles and concert flyers of the hip hop movement, which was closely linked to graffiti in Europe. While gray literature was mainly published within the scene, EINE STADT WIRD BUNT addresses a broader audience even without much prior knowledge.

Text Sascha Blasche Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

SUBWAY ART. Martha Cooper & Henry Chalfant. 1984.

Martha Cooper was the first female staff photographer at the New York Post, capturing everyday situations on the streets of the metropolis for the daily newspaper since the mid-1970s. In 1979, while photographing children playing in the Bronx, she noticed a young boy with a sketchbook. It is HE3, a graffiti writer, who willingly lets her photograph him in front of one of his works. When he offers to introduce her to DONDI, a big name in the scene, she gained access to the graffiti world, which is rather closed off to the outside world.

In the months that followed, Cooper obtained an insight into the scene, met countless writers and captured hundreds of the colorfully painted subways on film. This is also how she gets to know Henry Chalfant, who also documents the works of the young artists as an outsider and has the best contacts in the scene. Unlike her colleague, who photographs the spray-painted pieces standing as frontally in relation to them as possible on the station platform, Martha Cooper tries to capture the trains in their urban context. Together they plan to compile the photographs of this unique phenomenon and publish them in a book: ART TRANSIT.

However, since no American publisher was willing to publish the book, it was not until 1982, at the Frankfurt Book Fair, that the two photographers found a publisher, Thames & Hudson, who took on the project. Two years later their work was published as SUBWAY ART and became the first illustrated book dedicated to the painted subways in New York. Together with the films Style Wars (1983), Wild Style! (1983) and Beat Street (1984), the book and thus graffiti reached an international audience for the first time.

Young people all over the world thus begin in the mid-1980s to create made-up names as Pieces after the New York model and to paint them on walls and trains.

SUBWAY ART is not only documentation, but also serves as an instruction and shapes the archetype of a graffiti piece to this day. Martha Cooper's and Henry Chalfant's book is considered a bible for writers worldwide.

Text Sascha Blasche Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

SPRAY CITY - GRAFFITI IN BERLIN 1994

In spring 1994, the exhibition SPRAY CITY - GRAFFITI IN BERLIN took place within the framework of the "X 94 - Young Art and Culture" festival of the Akademie der Künste. The book of the same name was published by Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf Verlag and was the first illustrated book on graffiti in the capital, which also provided background information and insights into the scene.

In the preceding research, the authors Oliva Henkel, Tamara Domentat and René Westhoff (DISZ) were able to immerse themselves in detail in the Berlin graffiti scene. In addition to comprehensive introductions and explanations, a large number of artists have their say in the ten chapters. Big names from the West Berlin scene such as ODEM, BEN, DANE, KAGE, POET, SHEK and SKUME are presented in portraits, as well as, for the first time, writers from East Berlin and some female sprayers from the capital.

SPRAY CITY is not a chronicle, rather the richly illustrated volume shows a cross-section of protagonists and thus the status quo of the young Berlin scene. Furthermore, the New York origins are illuminated, the Berlin Wall and its significance for the scene are described by Michael Nungesser and LOOMIT places the city in an international context. But the tensions between the illegal and legal works are also discussed: representatives of the BVG, the Berlin police and the railway police give their views, and topics such as gang culture, criminal consequences and violence complement the content.

The book, which was published in 1994, was an important stimulus for the graffiti scene in Germany as a whole. For the first time, it was possible to buy a book in bookstores nationwide that showed independent manifestations of the American phenomenon and authentically portrayed graffiti in a way that was comprehensible even to outsiders. The success of SPRAY CITY was followed by 13 more volumes in the now legendary GRAFFITI ART series published by Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf.

Text Sascha Blasche      Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

STREET WRITERS. A Guided Tour of Chicano Graffiti. Gusmano Cesaretti. 1975.

The roots of the global graffiti movement lie in New York in the late 1960s. Over the years, the simple lettering first developed into simple, quick pieces and, by the early 1980s at the latest, into elaborate, mostly colorful masterpieces on the trains of the New York Subway. But early on, similar forms of namewriting also appeared in other regions of America.

Along with Philadelphia, for example, Los Angeles also looks back on an independent culture of writing names in public spaces. Thus, as early as 1975, photographer Gusmano Cesaretti published STREET WRITERS - A Guided Tour of Chicano Graffiti, a documentary-style booklet that paid attention to the regional phenomenon in L.A., capturing the cryptic letters and numbers in numerous black-and-white photographs.

The images were taken on a tour of Los Angeles, which Cesaretti undertook with Charles "Chaz" Bojórquez. "Chaz" was already active in the streets of the city since 1969 as a plaquito / writer and gradually enlightened the photographer about the meaning, origins and peculiarities of the so-called Cholo style. The style borrows calligraphic elements from Gothic writing and the mostly monochrome lettering are individual names or gang names, often associated with the street number, similar to New York Writing. The territorial aspect is prominent in Chicano graffiti and the names were originally applied with a brush, but then increasingly with spray can and marker.

In addition to introductory texts, the photo book includes various regional chapters, rough details about the location of the photographs, the creators, and the significance of their signatures. The form of namewriting, which originated independently of New York Graffiti, is reminiscent of the Pixação from São Paulo and still characterizes the cityscape and the graffiti style of the city after more than 40 years.

Text Sascha Blasche Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

Getting Up. Subway Graffiti in New York - Craig Castleman, 1982

While teaching at the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan in the late 1970s, Craig Castleman helped his students produce a booklet (NASTY STUFF) on their favourite subject: graffiti on the New York subway. Inspired by the work on this topic, which was new to him, Castleman spent the following years investigating the phenomenon more closely.

The result is his 1982 dissertation "Getting Up. Subway Graffiti in New York.".

Along with Andrea Nelli's "Graffiti a New York", this volume is one of the first ever scholarly publications on the subject. In nine comprehensive chapters, Castleman provides detailed insights into the history, motivations, experiences and approaches of New York's sprayers. In this way, he illuminates the system in which the writers move, which is often difficult for outsiders to comprehend. Not only are the various forms of graffiti analysed, but the hierarchies, rules and behaviour within the scene are also explained.

The antagonists, such as the MTA (Metro Transit Authority), police and politics, and their various approaches and projects for containment, are also found in Getting Up. In addition, Castleman introduces organisations such as NOGA (Nation of Graffiti Artists) and UGA (United Graffiti Artists), which tried to introduce writers to the art market with canvas works and gallery shows.

While in particular the European research literature on graffiti over- and misinterprets the phenomenon as a rebellious uprising of economically, socially and politically marginalised youth, Getting Up is considered a universally valid standard work on the subject even today due to its purely descriptive and analytical description of writing.

While the phenomenon gets romanticized particularly in European research by over- and misinterpreting graffiti as a rebellious uprising of economically, socially and politically marginalised youth, Getting Up is considered a universally valid standard work on the subject even today due to its purely descriptive and analytical description of writing.

            Text Sascha Blasche  Fotos Sebastian Kläbsch

Boulevard – On Trespassing and Culture   

No. 2 – INSTITUTION

Parallel to the art world's growing interest in graffiti, street art, and urban art, scholarly research on these fields has also increased steadily in recent years. While standard works can be found in specialized libraries, more in-depth texts and primary sources are often lacking for extensive research. These include rare exhibition catalogs, small editions of gray literature such as illustrated books and scene magazines, but also texts whose relevance has changed in the rapid development of the aforementioned subject areas.

The editors of "Boulevard" have addressed this issue for the first time in 2019 (No. 1 - CLASSICS). The magazine, which comes in the classic format of a daily newspaper, is divided into three chapters each: TALK, REPRINT and CASES. While the last section shows selected photo series, the second part consists of scientific texts that have already been published elsewhere, translated into English and often supplemented by a commentary by the authors. The TALK part functions as a cultural journal that refers to current events, publications, exhibitions and projects, but also includes interviews.

In the current issue (No. 2 - INSTITUTION) Katia Hermann and Pietro Rivasi discuss the challenges and possibilities of exhibitions on graffiti.

In addition to Ben Brohanszki and the Graffitimuseum, Jasper van Es and Good Guy Boris, who curated the groundbreaking #VIRALVANDALS exhibition in Eindhoven in 2017, also have their say. Newly published in the REPRINT section are texts by Lene ter Haar, Harald Hinz, Orestis Pangalos, Patrick Hagopian as well as Bernd Dollinger and Bettina Hünersdorf. CASES features photo series by Dunja Janković, Bill Daniel, Emanuel Roth and images by the Hamburg-based train writer RAGE.

            Fotos: Steffen Köhler     Text: Sascha Blasche

KUNSTFORUM International Vol. 260, May-June 2019

In June 1982, KUNSTFORUM International devoted an entire volume to the subject of graffiti (vol. 50 "Wilde Bilder. Graffiti und Wandbilder"). At the time, the vague term encompassed both ancient commemorative writings, political murals, facade art, ironic slogans, and several other forms of partly illegal interventions in urban space. Classic graffiti writing, which has characterized the New York cityscape for a decade and has existed in similar forms in Philadelphia and Los Angeles since the 1960s, is mentioned rather casually with three photos and half a page of text. In the months that followed, however, Writing would be carried into Western societies worldwide through films and books and mature into a global movement.

After 37 years, graffiti is once again the overarching theme of the art magazine in May 2019.

But this time, what is meant by the title is more clearly defined: writing based on the New York model and, if applicable, art that emerges from it. Thus Writing is not lexically explained and a glossary of scene terms enclosed, but Larissa Kikol gathers big and small names of the scene and gives a status quo of graffiti in Central Europe.

From an art historical perspective, selected actors are introduced and their work is analyzed and classified. These include CLINT176 (Berlin), SAEIO (Paris), SUSIE (Berlin) and HAMS (Marseille). However, the cities of Berlin as a stylistic melting pot of the contemporary scene and Munich as a comprehensively documented example of early European work in the early 1980s are also portrayed.

A more comprehensive definition of the concept of graffiti (urban marketing and urban art) is covered in the text by Robert Kaltenhäuser and Georg Barringhaus.

In addition, Henry Chalfant, Martha Cooper, RAP, 1UP and graffiti lawyer Dr. Patrick Gau, as well as MOSES & TAPS™ provide insight into their work in extensive interviews.

            Fotos: Steffen Köhler     Text: Sascha Blasche

URBAN ART PHOTOGRAPHY - Jürgen Große, 2008

Today, Berlin is considered a world metropolis for graffiti, street art and urban art. While the late 1980s saw the end of the golden era in the graffiti mecca of New York, the fall of the Berlin Wall ushered in a new era in Europe. Less than ten years after motifs modeled primarily on those from overseas began to dominate the cityscape in Berlin, a new, related phenomenon began to take root. Witness and observer of the emerging Urban Art is Jürgen Große, who at that time has already been photographing art in public space for two decades. In addition to adbusting, sculptural works and often randomly appearing curiosities, he also documents the use of new stylistic tools such as stencils, stickers, posters and, above all, paint. These tools alter the formal language of the paintings, allowing them to be painted in previously inaccessible places and sometimes on a monumental scale.

Abb. 211-1 – 212-2 Idee Orion

The playing field of actors such as NOMAD, SWOON, BANKSY or Brad Downey are primarily the eastern districts of the capital, which offer more publicly accessible open spaces. But Große also explores construction sites, vacant buildings, "hidden places" and backyards, which are increasingly equal canvases for the work of AKIM, 6, SPAIR, ZAST, KRIPOE, LOST SOUL and IDEE. Meticulous location, month and year are added to each shot, so that even today a before and after comparison is possible.

Abb. 357 – 364 Zast, Atari, Bus126, Akim, Zast

Urban Art Photography is a unique documentation that accompanies the beginnings of an art form that is shaping the face of the city today as never before. Jürgen Große's imagery not only captures the works, but also always depicts the context of the urban space. This contemporary testimony allows a view of a Berlin of the 2000s that, like most of the works, no longer exists today.

            Fotos: Steffen Köhler     Text: Sascha Blasche

AMSTERDAM ON TOUR. The early signs of Dutch graffiti. 2019.

When as a result of films and books such as „Subway Art“, „Wild Style!“ and „Style Wars“ the New York tradition of graffiti writing attracted worldwide attention and, above all, imitators in the early 1980s, so-called namewriting was a completely new phenomenon in many places.

Amsterdam, however, plays a special role in Europe in this respect. Although slogans, phrases and criticism on current political issues such as the expansion of the metro or urban housing policy can also be found here in the seventies, the emergence of the punk movement changed the intention "from activism to egoism". Since the illegally affixed slogans can often be seen in the city for years, especially punk bands and their fans took advantage of this to advertise with their names in the cityscape.

In AMSTERDAM ON TOUR, Writer AGAIN traces how the writing of individual pseudonyms by a new generation emerged from this movement. For already in 1979, years before graffiti writing comes to Europe from America, Amsterdam is covered with the signatures of THE DUMB, KODIAK STONE, VENDEX or N-POWER.

Parallel to the development of tags into sometimes elaborate calligraphic lettering, often combined with figurative elements, poster and stencil artists like Hugo Kaagman and Diano Ozon also anticipate the visual language and style of street art.

When, from 1983, the Yaki Kornblit Gallery not only exhibited New York graffiti, but also invited writers such as SEEN, FUTURA, BLADE and ZEPHYR, they left their mark on the city and influenced the already existing scene. Locals like SHOE, DELTA and JEZIS adapted the form of the Pieces and decisively shaped the style of the emerging graffiti scene in Central Europe with their styles since the mid-1980s.

The book documents the transition of two independent styles of namewriting in Amsterdam in the eighties with unique historical photos and interviews.

             Fotos: Steffen Köhler     Text: Sascha Blasche

 Verboten: Berliner Mauerkunst - Ralf Gründer, 2007

The Berlin Wall, erected by the GDR on August 13, 1961, separated today's capital Berlin into East and West for almost 30 years. From 1975 until November 9, 1989, the so-called "anti-fascist protective wall" consisted of the 3.60m high and 1.20m wide wall segments that are still common today and were bordered by a concrete tube at the top.

Although the Wall stood on GDR soil and thus some meters on the west side were officially East territory, the border was controlled by soldiers only on the east side. This fact encouraged some political activists in the first years to write their comments, accusations and messages with spray can and brush on the wall from the west. Tourists also took advantage of the open spaces and applied commemorative graffiti and political slogans. Since this was not punished from the west side and not painted over from the east side, the border wall around 1980 showed a patchwork of individual traces of its visitors, who mainly left slogan graffiti on it.

Ralf Gründer's "Berliner Mauerkunst" focuses on the following years, in which local and international artists such as Christophe Bouchet, Theirry Noir, Indiano, Kiddy Citny, Richard Hambleton, and Keith Haring discovered the wall as their canvas. Unlike many photo volumes on the Berlin Wall, the book does not present the images of one photographer. Instead, Gründer compiles archives of diverse Wall photographers of the 1980s, classifies them, and provides comprehensive background information on the works. The author also researched archival material from action artists, musicians, and filmmakers in order to trace in as much detail as possible which Wall art was created where and when on the West Side. In terms of scope, completeness, and information density, the book is probably the most comprehensive work on art on the Berlin Wall.

You can find more literature on the Berlin Wall in our catalog.

             Fotos: Steffen Köhler     Text: Sascha Blasche

GRAFFITI A NEW YORK - Andrea Nelli, 2012

The origin for the worldwide graffiti, street art and urban art movement lies in New York in the 1960s and 1970s. What started locally as simple name-dropping in the streets and backyards of the boroughs evolved into elaborate typefaces that rolled all over the city on Subway trains within a few years.

At its peak in the mid-1980s, the phenomenon went around the world as „Subway Art“, thanks to the book by Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant. It found imitators globally and academia belatedly began to take an interest in the form of expression.. The standard work "Getting Up" by Craig Castleman, which was not published until 1982, has always been considered the first scientific examination of the subject.

But as early as 1978, Andrea Nelli published "Graffiti a New York," an extensive essay, after he had already been confronted with the name prints in the cityscape six years earlier during his first trip to the city. For his research he interviews actors, gallery owners, collects newspaper reports and analyzes the rapidly changing movement. Due to the bankruptcy of the publishing house only a few weeks after the publication of his dissertation in 1978, the work receives little attention from researchers and only becomes a coveted collector's item in scene circles.

But forty years after Nelli's first visit to New York, "Graffiti a New York" was rediscovered, translated into English, and reissued in 2012 by the Italian publisher Wholetrain Press. In addition to the original text, there are over 100 historical photographs by the author, showing arguably the most important phase of the evolution towards classic graffiti. Both the original and the new edition are part of the holdings of the Martha Cooper Library.

Fotos: Steffen Köhler     Text: Sascha Blasche