Graffiti and unsanctioned art—from local origins to global phenomenon
In recent years street art has grown bolder, more ornate, more sophisticated and—in many cases—more acceptable. Yet unsanctioned public art remains the problem child of cultural expression, the last outlaw of visual disciplines. It has also become a global phenomenon of the 21st century.
Made in collaboration with featured artists, Trespass examines the rise and global reach of graffiti and urban art, tracing key figures, events and movements of self-expression in the city's social space, and the history of urban reclamation, protest, and illicit performance. The first book to present the full historical sweep, global reach and technical developments of the street art movement, Trespass features key works by 150 artists, and connects four generations of visionary outlaws including Jean Tinguely, Spencer Tunick, Keith Haring, Os Gemeos, Jenny Holzer, Barry McGee, Gordon Matta-Clark, Shepard Fairey, Blu, Billboard Liberation Front, Guerrilla Girls and Banksy, among others. It also includes dozens of previously unpublished photographs of long-lost works and legendary, ephemeral urban artworks.
Also includes:
• Unpublished images of street art by Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat
• Unpublished photographs by Subway Art luminary Martha Cooper
• Unpublished photos from the personal archives of selected artists
• Incisive essays by Anne Pasternak (director of public arts fund Creative Time) and civil rights lawyer Tony Serra
• Special feature: exclusive preface by Banksy
Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
About the author:
Carlo McCormick is a pop culture critic, curator and Senior Editor of Paper magazine. His numerous books, monographs and catalogs include Beautiful Losers: Contemporary Art and Street Culture, The Downtown Book: The New York Art Scene 1974-1984, and Dondi White: Style Master General. His work has appeared in Art in America, Art News, Artforum and many other publications.
About the curator:
Marc and Sara Schiller founded Wooster Collective in 2001, a website that celebrates and plays a crucial role in documenting otherwise ephemeral street art. Based in New York City, the collective curated most of the contemporary images in Trespass. Its "Wooster On Paper" series presents the work of international artists in limited edition books.
About the editor:
Ethel Seno received her BA in the College of Letters from Wesleyan University before teaming with TASCHEN, where she worked with William Claxton on Jazzlife and New Orleans 1960, and David LaChapelle on Artists & Prostitutes and Heaven to Hell. Having grown up in Tokyo, she feels most at home in urban environments and currently resides in Los Angeles.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 27 people found the following review helpful
By Daniel Lobo
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
It was fairly clear from the first early news that Trespass was going to become an unavoidable urban art reference. The book, coming from the efforts of the founders of the Wooster Collective, with Ethel Seno, Carlo McCormick, and under publishing patronage of Taschen was set to make a lasting impression in the perception and dissemination of street art. Quality or merit aside, the marketing machine of the big publisher alongside the street creed and devotion raised by the networks fostered by the authors has a strong traction, and Trespass sure seems like a "must" for the urban culture world. And initially, it may even seem a good book to recommend. But in being so influential and prominent it risks reinforcing some trends stereotyping urban culture, open communication, and a strong public realm.
In order to frame the "discipline" the book incurs in a series of generalizations and clichés, which work relatively well, with some notable exceptions. For instance, there are the laughable remarks illustrated in the promotional video, linking all urban artistic practice to a defense of "our democracy". However, the most handy conceptual tool used is the notion of "uncommissioned urban art" to throw together a long series of mostly, public, city-centric, and disconnected street expressions. And while some rigor is applied around the concept, it fails to be entirely accurate, and misses an opportunity to really open a more complex analysis. Among the most obvious misgivings are the samplings of the actions that took place in the German city of Wuppertal, like the featured work of Hitotzuki, which was sponsored, commissioned that is, by a well know energy drink. It is not the first time that a product from the Schiller's Wooster Collective enters a controversy about its commercial ties, or marketing machinery. And in this case in particular, it hurts what otherwise might be a good attempt to develop a different analytical framework for urban expressions.
The book might work rather well as a sampling case of tendencies, typologies, and milestones in the "discipline". But the way it concludes is rather bothersome. The last pages are dedicated to a legal appendix by J. Tony Serra, titled "Graffiti and U.S. Law". Not only this illustrates right there the almost perfunctory U.S./Western emphasis of the volume, but as the author tries to offer a broad brush portrait of the legal prosecution of graffiti it ends emphasizing certain aesthetic values. As he tries to construct an argument around free speech and legitimate expressions, he defends the trite and murky solution of differentiating between vandalism and art:
"It is important to distinguish between graffiti writers that are driven by artistic expression and those who are driven primarily by the desire to deface property.[] The distinction between graffiti and vandalism needs to be drawn more clearly in the laws, in public debate, and by the art community. "
The idea to articulate a taste patrol, a series of regulations that are based on the distinction associated with certain works in order to make them acceptable or not, is quite convoluted and simplistic on a variety of levels. Not only it forgets that the dominant paradigm does survive pivoting precisely in such ideas. But it also forgets the subversive and critical value of those expressions that precisely do not sit well with the establishment, those that may not belong to a decoration of the urban realm, and that may not be necessarily subject to the rapid absorption in processes of gentrification, mercantilization, or propaganda. It is precisely this subversive capacity, and the whole range of critical opportunities that it offers, that is put in question when one argues for a distinction based on aesthetic prejudice between what one views as vandalism vs. what one considers art. With this concluding note Trespass might be contributing precisely to perpetuate those cliches, sets itself as a judge of taste, and misses an opportunity to open up a broader debate.
In order to frame the "discipline" the book incurs in a series of generalizations and clichés, which work relatively well, with some notable exceptions. For instance, there are the laughable remarks illustrated in the promotional video, linking all urban artistic practice to a defense of "our democracy". However, the most handy conceptual tool used is the notion of "uncommissioned urban art" to throw together a long series of mostly, public, city-centric, and disconnected street expressions. And while some rigor is applied around the concept, it fails to be entirely accurate, and misses an opportunity to really open a more complex analysis. Among the most obvious misgivings are the samplings of the actions that took place in the German city of Wuppertal, like the featured work of Hitotzuki, which was sponsored, commissioned that is, by a well know energy drink. It is not the first time that a product from the Schiller's Wooster Collective enters a controversy about its commercial ties, or marketing machinery. And in this case in particular, it hurts what otherwise might be a good attempt to develop a different analytical framework for urban expressions.
The book might work rather well as a sampling case of tendencies, typologies, and milestones in the "discipline". But the way it concludes is rather bothersome. The last pages are dedicated to a legal appendix by J. Tony Serra, titled "Graffiti and U.S. Law". Not only this illustrates right there the almost perfunctory U.S./Western emphasis of the volume, but as the author tries to offer a broad brush portrait of the legal prosecution of graffiti it ends emphasizing certain aesthetic values. As he tries to construct an argument around free speech and legitimate expressions, he defends the trite and murky solution of differentiating between vandalism and art:
"It is important to distinguish between graffiti writers that are driven by artistic expression and those who are driven primarily by the desire to deface property.[] The distinction between graffiti and vandalism needs to be drawn more clearly in the laws, in public debate, and by the art community. "
The idea to articulate a taste patrol, a series of regulations that are based on the distinction associated with certain works in order to make them acceptable or not, is quite convoluted and simplistic on a variety of levels. Not only it forgets that the dominant paradigm does survive pivoting precisely in such ideas. But it also forgets the subversive and critical value of those expressions that precisely do not sit well with the establishment, those that may not belong to a decoration of the urban realm, and that may not be necessarily subject to the rapid absorption in processes of gentrification, mercantilization, or propaganda. It is precisely this subversive capacity, and the whole range of critical opportunities that it offers, that is put in question when one argues for a distinction based on aesthetic prejudice between what one views as vandalism vs. what one considers art. With this concluding note Trespass might be contributing precisely to perpetuate those cliches, sets itself as a judge of taste, and misses an opportunity to open up a broader debate.
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
A must-have for urban art lovers, enriched with good texts and wonderful pictures. The artwork selection gives us a great panorama of contemporary art that fills the streets of the world. Strongly recommended!
10 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By Ed
Format:Hardcover
An interesting and informative work on the history and development of "street art".
Amazing photos with excellent examples from around the world.
A must for the art historian, collector and any fan of urban art
Amazing photos with excellent examples from around the world.
A must for the art historian, collector and any fan of urban art
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Boring, which is almost the antithesis of what it should be
For all of it's problems, Art in the Streets by Jeffrey Deitch is a much better book, with much better illustrations. Read more
Published 23 months ago by S. Koterbay
3.0 out of 5 stars
not as good as i thought
was dispointed by the pics and also the finish of the paper. Its a matte uncoated paper... which makes the images stale and not as crisp. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Mary
4.0 out of 5 stars
Stirs the imagination
More on the facinating evolution of art. It's a balance between creativity and abuse of property rights. Read more
Published on January 29, 2011 by Watts
5.0 out of 5 stars
a great value!
Gorgeous illustrations & thought provoking text. I am so glad I bought this book. Also worth mentioning that the book is a great buy for its insanely-low price!
Published on December 5, 2010 by mhc
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