The History of American Graffiti - Hardcover

Gastman, Roger; Neelon, Caleb

4.42

55 ratings by Goodreads

9780061698781: The History of American Graffiti

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0061698784 ISBN 13: 9780061698781

Publisher: Collins Design, 2011

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In the scope of human history, graffiti is the only visual art form started by children to have become a globally entrenched medium. With forty years of history as an organized artistic lifestyle sport, graffiti has sprung from the neglected neighborhoods of New York and Philadelphia to cover cities on every habitable continent. It was an amazing formula: fame for your name via effort and style. In the middle of the 1980s, there was a rush of media attention focused on the movement of graffiti, as a part of the hip-hop culture that included rapping, DJing, and breakdancing. The movement immediately spread throughout the world and took immovable root across the United States. Yet despite the early rush and all of its success around the world, the written history of its expansion has remained scant, and to this day, the general public, even the educated general public, has only a faint sense of what graffiti is about, and one often clouded by misconceptions. "The History of American Graffiti" provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the roots of a subculture that, in the last twenty-five years, has managed to move mainstream without losing its edge. Authors Roger Gastman and Caleb Neelon have spent the better part of the last five years interviewing key figures in the graffiti world throughout American-from the bedrock cities of New York City, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles to the lesser-known, but equally important hotspots of Cleveland, Baltimore, and Phoenix. Approximately 90 percent of the art in this book has never been published, and was sourced directly from the artists who lived the scene, giving the book a raw street vibe as authentic as the history it documents.

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Review:

"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 Author:

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.

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