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

Arts & Photography

GASTMAN, Roger

NEELON, Caleb

History & Criticism

Harper Design

Ever since hip-hop and punk music rose from the ashes of urban blight to become two of the most potent youth culture movements of the twentieth century, the world’s streets have taken center stage as vibrant sites of creativity. And in less than a generation, thanks to ease of travel and the Internet, a new global street culture has emerged, bringing all of the world’s diverse subcultures and modes of urban expression together: graffiti, skateboarding and bike messengering, DJing, offbeat fashion, gang life, music, as well as design, photography, and other more traditional visual art. Street World: Urban Culture and Art from Five Continents is the first book to record the whole phenomenon. From New York and Los Angeles to the Brazilian mega-cities, South African townships, and Mumbai, authors Roger Gastman, Caleb Neelon, and Anthony Smyrski highlight cultural hotspots around the world. Divided into more than 50 topics and illustrated with more than 500 photographs, this book celebrates the street as a stage for the visual creativity of a generation.

Street World: Urban Culture and Art from Five Continents

SMYRSKI, Anthony

Graphic Design

Abrams Books

Lilman returns home from school, unhappy that his printed name really does not tell anything about him, and he sets about to make his name more expressive, with readers able to follow his example with an included activity.

Lilman Makes a Name for Himself

Children's Books

Cantab Pub

Born in 1976 in Glendale, California, SABER had already made his name a visual fixture in Los Angeles by the end of his teens. But it was as a 20-year-old that he completed the painting that would catapult him to the status of a global legend. His piece on the sloping bank of the Los Angeles River is nearly the size of a football field, and can be read clear as day from a satellite photo. In a famous photograph taken by his father just after it was completed SABER stands on the piece and appears as a tiny speck amid a giant blaze of color. In the years since, SABER has continued to push himself as an artist. He has created groundbreaking metal and wood sculptures, painstakingly rendered hyper-realistic canvases, and works in many other media. We all want to remain permanent, explains SABER, and in his book, SABER: MAD SOCIETY, he shows the entire scope of his efforts at permanence from oil paintings on canvas to the largest graffiti piece in the world. Alongside a wealth of photos, the monograph comes complete with colorful stories of his graffiti misadventures. Among the thousands of people who make up the graffiti community around the world, there are few names that carry the same legendary quality as SABER.

Saber: Mad Society

Reference

Gingko Pr Inc

Widely revered as the "artists' gallerist," Jonathan Levine has nourished a much needed alternative viewpoint within the stilted New York art market. In the pages of Delusional, readers will discover the fascinating backstory that brought this punk kid from Trenton to the hallowed gallery walls of Chelsea. LeVine began his career in the arts publishing a fanzine in the 1980s and then curating shows at diverse venues in the 90s. By the turn of the millennium, LeVine had opened up Tin Man Alley, his own gallery located in New Hope, and then Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Jonathan LeVine Gallery was officially launched in New York City in 2005. Since then, LeVine has brought his considerable talents to bear, focusing on work influenced by illustration, comic books, graffiti, street art and pop culture imagery. Levine's featured artists tend to share a figurative and narrative inclination and include Doze Green, Shepard Fairey, Audrey Kawasaki, Gary Baseman, and Camille Rose Garcia.

Delusional: The Story of the Jonathan Levine Gallery

Gingko Press

Pump Me Up: DC Subculture of the 1980's

Brown, Iley

Pattisall, Joseph

Music

Ed Emberley shies away from calling himself an artist and instead likes to say that “he draws pictures for a living.” Now in his eighties, Ed Emberley is a Caldecott award-winning children’s book illustrator and writer who has been creating original books since the 1960s. He has written and illustrated more than 100 books and is perhaps best known for his beloved how-to-draw books for kids such as: Ed Emberley’s Big Green Drawing Book, Ed Emberley’s Drawing Book of Faces, and Ed Emberley’s Great Thumbprint Drawing Book, and many others. These simple and straightforward books, first published in the 1970s, have encouraged a generation of kids to take the drawing process step by step. Contemporary working artists today often cite Ed Emberley as a beloved early inspiration in their development as artists. By encouraging kids to draw using just a few simple shapes, Emberley has made drawing and creating accessible to everyone. As Emberley likes to say, “Not everyone needs to be an artist, but everyone needs to feel good about themselves.” This definitive monograph on the wide repertoire of Emberley’s life’s work has been beautifully put together by Todd Oldham and Caleb Neelon. Highlighting work spanning over five decades, this gorgeous and comprehensive book celebrates the talented and prolific life of Ed Emberley.

Ed Emberley

Oldham, Todd

AMMO Books

SIGNED, LIMITED EDITION WITH PRINT: Ed Emberley shies away from calling himself an artist and instead likes to say that “he draws pictures for a living.” Now in his eighties, Ed Emberley is a Caldecott award-winning children’s book illustrator and writer who has been creating original books since the 1960s. He has written and illustrated more than 100 books and is perhaps best known for his beloved how-to-draw books for kids such as: Ed Emberley’s Big Green Drawing Book, Ed Emberley’s Drawing Book of Faces, and Ed Emberley’s Great Thumbprint Drawing Book, and many others. These simple and straightforward books, first published in the 1970s, have encouraged a generation of kids to take the drawing process step by step. Contemporary working artists today often cite Ed Emberley as a beloved early inspiration in their development as artists. By encouraging kids to draw using just a few simple shapes, Emberley has made drawing and creating accessible to everyone. As Emberley likes to say, “Not everyone needs to be an artist, but everyone needs to feel good about themselves.” This definitive monograph on the wide repertoire of Emberley’s life’s work has been beautifully put together by Todd Oldham and Caleb Neelon. Highlighting work spanning over five decades, this gorgeous and comprehensive book celebrates the talented and prolific life of Ed Emberley.

EMBERLEY, ED

Planète street

PYRAMYD

Gordon Matta-Clark: NYC Graffiti Archive 1972/73

McCormick, Carlo

Individual Artists

Beyond the Streets

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Books by NEELON, Caleb