The world-renowned graffiti artist KET brings together another 100 awe-inspiring and extraordinary examples of urban art from around the world. Street Art is a great introduction and the perfect companion for anyone excited by this imaginative and highly prevalent art form.
Graffiti or "street art" has been a significant art form for more than 20 years, altering and shaping the urban landscape from Tokyo to Paris, Los Angeles to Sydney, Belfast to Berlin. Ever-changing and evolving, its anonymous, transient nature means it literally can appear one day and disappear the next. Yet out of this shifting mass of spray paint, some true stars have emerged—artists such as Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Banksy—as well as countless unsung heroes who have taken the form to new heights. This book is a celebration of the endless creativity of the medium, featuring 100 glossy photos of groundbreaking graffiti from around the world, and including an introduction by the editor, Ket. It is a perfect introduction to the subject for anyone excited by this most vibrant and democratic of art forms.
Urban Art Legends is the perfect companion for anyone wanting to learn more about the vibrant, exciting and constantly evolving art form of street art.
The birthplace of the style writing school of graffiti is New York City, where young artists transformed simple tags into elaborate masterpieces, featuring colorful letters and characters depicting friends and heroes. By the 1980s, authorities quickly destroyed this artwork, prompting artists to seek refuge in schoolyards to preserve their work. The most notable of these is in East Harlem, at 106th Street and Park Avenue, known as the Hall of Fame. Initially, it aimed to unite the best artists in the city, replacing the number 5 train as the premier showcase for graffiti art. As word spread, artists would sneak in at night to contribute to this unsanctioned museum. From early contributors like Skeme, Dez, and Daze in the 1980s to later artists such as Vulcan, Jon One, and Dome, the Hall of Fame evolved through the decades. The 1990s saw revitalization from Part, Ezo, and TDS, while the 2000s featured tight productions from crews like TC5, TDS, and TATS. This book documents the vibrant artwork created in this once-obscure schoolyard that became a legendary landmark. Join us in exploring this artistic retrospective of an iconic New York site.