The History Of American Graffiti- USED

Description

Title: The History Of American Graffiti
Author(s): Roger Gastman, Caleb Neelon
Hardcover with Dustjacket
Language: English
Pages: 410
Published: 2010, first edition.
Dimensions: 24.2 x 22.4 x 4 cm. / 9.5 x 8.8 x 1.6 inch.
Condition: Dustjacket: 9/10 Cover: 10/10 Inside: 10/10

With 40 years of history as an organized artistic lifestyle sport, graffiti has sprung from the neglected neighbourhoods of New York and Philadelphia to cover cities throughout the world. This book provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the roots of a subculture that has managed to movemainstream without losing its edge.

Unprecedented in scope, The History of American Graffiti is the definitive story behind the most influential art form of the last one hundred years. Tracing the evolution of the medium from its early freight-train days to its big-city boom on the streets of New York City and Philadelphia, and to its modern-day influences, this volume is a compelling look at the key moments, places, and players in an art form distinctly American in flavor yet global in its reach.

Featuring behind-the-scenes stories and profiles gleaned from more than four years’ worth of interviews with graffiti’s most prominent names, as well as its lesser-known pioneers, authors Roger Gastman and Caleb Neelon provide an insider’s perspective on the history of the medium. Not only do they reveal the most popular trends and styles that have dominated the scene for the last fifty years but they also provide a thorough examination of the regional differences among major American hubs—New York, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Chicago—and under-the-radar scenes in cities like Washington, D.C., Boston, and Miami. All told, more than twenty-five American cities are profiled, making this one of the most comprehensive volumes on the subject.

With more than one thousand photographs—the majority of which are seen here for the first time—from more than two hundred photographers, most of whom also created the artwork, The History of American Graffiti captures the look and feel of a genuine American art form with exceptional clarity and detail. An instant classic, this book is the ultimate resource to which aficionados of the art form will turn again and again, and which the uninitiated will regard as the definitive tutorial of all that is graffiti.

“The History of American Graffiti is the first truly comprehensive history of graffiti’s secretive, illegal culture.”–Shephard Fairey, artist

“‘Wild style’ graffiti may be the most influential art movement since pop art. Roger Gastman and Caleb Neelon have written the definitive history of the origins of the graffiti styles that emerged in Philadelphia, New York, and Los Angeles in the early 1970s and inspired young artists around the world.”–Jeffrey Deitch, director, Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art

“If there were a college course on graffiti, this would be its textbook, but these stories are more fun than academic: The History of American Graffiti also supplements a degree from the school of street smarts.”–Shepard Fairey, artist

“Graffiti is a much-maligned and misunderstood social movement, which I am proud to be a part of. This book offers the definitive perspective on graffiti-finally, we have a historical textbook for the most colorful art form modern society has known.”–David Arquette, actor

“This book is a much-needed celebration of a true American art form-graffiti writing. Whether you love or hate graffiti, this book breaks down the history of this controversial art. Learn about this important movement-cop this book!”–Alain “KET” Maridue?a, author, Graffiti Planet, Rockin’ It Suckers, and Graffiti Tattoo

“When the American graffiti movement emerged, it was ‘outsider’ art, youth art, and public art all at once. It shattered racial and economic segregation and provoked political and generational reprobation. Roger Gastman and Caleb Neelon’s The History of American Graffiti is as sweeping, provocative, and monumental as the movement itself.”–Jeff Chang, author, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation

About the authors:
Roger Gastman started writing graffiti as a teenager in Bethesda, Maryland, and was able to parlay his love for it into a legitimate career. He founded and published two respected pop-culture magazines–While You Were Sleeping and Swindle (copublisher)–as well as more than a dozen highly sought-after art books. He is the founder and creative director of R. Rock Enterprises, a multiplatform media agency specializing in print, art, design, marketing, and brand development that has nurtured the careers of internationally recognized artists. Gastman has produced several independent documentary films and has held speaking engagements at universities and museums across the country. He lives in Los Angeles, California, with his two yellow Labs, Nicky and Harley.

Caleb Neelon has been writing about urban history and contemporary culture for more than fifteen years. He is the co-author of Street World and Graffiti Brasil, author of his artist monograph, Caleb Neelon’s Book of Awesome, and a contributor to dozens of other books and magazines. He has painted walls in more than two dozen countries and exhibited in galleries, museums, hospitals, and educational settings. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.