I am what you would call a graffiti enthusiast. I try to get my hands on every graffiti book, graffiti magazine and graffiti DVD. A few months ago, I got Mark Batty Publisher's recent book, Bay Area Graffiti.
I anticipated to get through the book swiftly and write a quick review on it. Was I ever wrong.
This is a book rich with content in which I have immersed myself over the last 3 weeks. Unlike Steve Grody's Graffiti L.A. book, which deeply examines graffiti in Los Angeles from its early days, Bay Area Graffiti is a period piece. The author took pictures on a daily basis from 2004 to 2008. The pictures you see in the book are from writers that were up at that specific time.
The book is a large format hardcover with a great piece by Reyes MSK on the cover. It is 208 pages featuring 61 graffiti writers and has hundreds and hundreds of full color Bay area graffiti pictures. I am always interested in what motivates each graffiti artist to go out and risk their well-being to do what they love. We get a glimpse into many of the featured artists' psyches as they discuss their thoughts and motivations for doing graffiti.
"I hate that the only thing that I know how to do and the only thing that I really love is against the law." -Chue
"I get terrified sometimes when I climb. I sweat compulsevily. I do this thing where I swing under bridges. I climb up the inside and get to the mddle pillar and lie down adn put my amr under and grab a pole and let my legs hang and I pull myself up on the outside beam..." - Keep
"I completely shut off when I paint. It's just me and the wall and if I'm painting with a friend we don't talk. I get in that zone." -Gena
"Dude, the first couple of sprays on that wall, I'm always shook. I'm always looking over my shoulder, seeing if it's cool. And then I get loose after I get manybe the 'G' outlined." - Gator
Bay Area Graffiti joins the few great graffiti books that are on the market.
Disclaimer: GraffHead.com was not compensated for this review. However, Mark Batty Publisher was nice enough to provide us with a copy of the book. Mark Batty is an independent publisher with many great titles focusing on street art including Graffiti Japan, Going PostalPeel: The Art Of The Sticker and Textura - Valencia Street Art.
Bay Area Graffiti
Bay Area Graffiti
Bay Area Graffiti
Bay Area Graffiti
Bay Area Graffiti
Bay Area Graffiti
3 comments:
Looks fresh!
SOYEAH! ELCREW!!!!!!
now this is a graff book..a lot of the people that are in it are still rocking the streets
zus-iry
Post a Comment