The Faith Of Graffiti (Hardcover)

~ Norman Mailer (Author), (Photographer), (Photographer)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"The Faith is the bible of graffiti. It forever captures the place, the time, and the writings of those of us who made it happen." —Snake I

In 1973, author Norman Mailer teamed with photographer Jon Naar to produce The Faith of Graffiti, a fearless exploration of the birth of the street art movement in New York City. The book coupled Mailer's essay on the origins and importance of graffiti in modern urban culture with Naar's radiant, arresting photographs of the young graffiti writers' work. The result was a powerful, impressionistic account of artistic ferment on the streets of a troubled and changing city—and an iconic documentary record of a critical body of work now largely lost to history.

This new edition of The Faith of Graffiti, the first in more than three decades, brings this vibrant work—the seminal document on the origins of street art—to contemporary readers. Photographer Jon Naar has enhanced the original with thirty-two pages of additional photographs that are new to this edition, along with an afterword in which he reflects on the project and the meaning it has taken on in the intervening decades. It stands now, as it did then, as a rich survey of a group of outsider artists and the body of work they created—and a provocative defense of a generation that questioned the bounds of authority over aesthetics.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Norman Mailer (1923-2007) was one of the most important American voices of the twentieth century—a journalist, essayist, novelist, poet, playwright, screenwriter, film director, and public intellectual. The author of more than forty books including The Naked and the Dead, The Executioner's Song, and Armies of the Night, he was twice awarded the Pulitzer Prize, received the National Book Award, and was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 97 pages
• Publisher: Praeger Publishers; 1st edition (1974)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275436608
• ISBN-13: 978-0275436605
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,402,329 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Beginning and The End, September 22, 1999

By A Customer

This is it. Look no further, wait no longer. Here is the winner. The best book ever written about graffiti...hand down. The Big Bang in the world of graffiti books. Whatever Norman Mailer got paid to write this book, it should be doubled.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Norman Mailer's opening book party , December 8, 2007

By	J. Z. Morris (New Harmony, IN, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As is for many books, especially of well known authors, there was a p.r. party (in New York in 1974) to launch this book. It was a great, fun evening. Upon entering the space where it was being held, we were given large markers and it was suggested that we write graffiti on the walls. I remember that I wrote:
"With schizophrenia you're never alone!"
Of course this is off a little, medically, but it was done in the spirit of the moment (after all, this wasn't exactly an AMA convention).
Anyway, this is a rememberance that just popped into my head from days gone by. I remember liking the book and probably have it somewhere in my library.
JZ Morris

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars True Old Skool - Only Subway Art matches this., October 19, 2001

By	Komp (South London) - See all my reviews

This book is a true classic It came out way back in the early 70's which says it all - before the films etc made the sub-culture popular.

The photos are unbelievable - you need to get a copy.