The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti

by Rafael Schacter, Lachlan MacDowall, John Fekner (Foreword by)

Overview

Bursting with color and energy, this revised edition of the definitive guide to street art and graffiti covers the world’s most significant artists, styles, and the urban landscapes that form their canvas
 
Ten years after its original publication, The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti is recognized as the definitive guide to the most significant artists and styles of street art and graffiti around the world. This revised edition brings the content up to our present moment, expanding its geographic breadth to six continents. Featuring more than 700 full-color photographs of raw, energetic, whimsical, and eye-catching art, the book is visually exciting as well as an essential survey of the urban art of our time.
 
Organized geographically by country and city, the publication profiles more than 100 of today’s most important street artists—Espo in New York, Merlot in Seattle, Os Gêmeos in São Paulo, Michael Pederson in Sydney, Essu in Tokyo, Lady K in Paris, Milu Correch in Buenos Aires, and Nardstar in Cape Town——alongside key examples of their work. With contributions by the foremost authorities on street art and graffiti, this landmark publication continues to provide a nuanced understanding of a global contemporary art practice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780300267808
Publisher:	Yale University Press
Publication date:	06/27/2023
Edition description:	Revised Edition
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	355,410
Product dimensions:	8.75(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Rafael Schacter is an associate professor in anthropology and material culture at University College, London. Lachlan MacDowall is an associate professor and director of the MIECAT Institute in Melbourne who has published widely on graffiti and street art. John Fekner is a street and multimedia artist.

Editorial Reviews

Rafael Schacter…has bundled into the book's 400 pages a range of styles and modes offering a rare and pleasant encounter with art in which the critic stays (mostly) out of the way…The World Atlas reminds us of the obvious: Public art is as much about local identity as it is about artistic accomplishment. Incorporating histories of graffiti in cities like São Paulo and Tokyo, the book shows us a medium exceptional in its grasping for an essence of place and time. Oh, and it's beautiful, too.

The New York Times Book Review - Raillan Brooks

★ 08/26/2013
Curator Schacter offers a stunning survey of artists known for their nonsanctioned public work in this concisely written, yet comprehensive volume. Collaborating with street artists and curators, writers, and art historians, the author situates 113 artists in 50 cities, highlighting the importance of environment and global artistic exchange. Each profile speaks to a unique art practice: collage, name-based wall graffiti, monumental installations, subway and boxcar art, and digitally projected images, among others. To emphasize the tension between high and low art, as well as between mainstream and underground culture, the artists selected also vary in terms of their visibility and commercial success. Famed L.A. artist Shepard Fairey (creator of the Obama Hope image) receives as much analysis as the Montreal boxcar painter Jiem and New York underground “conceptual vandal” Katsu. In introductory chapters to each continent and city, Schacter also explores region-based themes, such as local folklore and art collectives. His expertly selected images yield an entertaining, visually varied reading experience. One highlight of the book is its commissioned nontraditional city maps created by 12 of the volume’s profiled artists. This valuable and impressive tome, featuring a foreword by street and multimedia artist John Fekner, provides an informative, consistent, and well-illustrated narrative of a global art phenomenon. 750 color illus. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Rafael Schacter, a British curator and anthropologist, has bundled into the book’s 400 pages a range of styles and modes offering a rare and pleasant encounter with art in which the critic stays (mostly) out of the way. . . . Incorporating histories of graffiti in cities like São Paulo and Tokyo, the book shows us a medium exceptional in its grasping for an essence of place and time. Oh, and it’s beautiful, too."—New York Times Book Review

"The art book to beat all art books sets out to become the definitive reference guide on international street art, covering artists hiding in all corners of the globe. From Shepard Fairey's iconic work in California to Tima Radya's political musings across Russia to Os Gemeos' magical characters sprinkled around Brazil, the anthology of murals and more illuminates the visual beauty of street art, as well as the rich history behind it."—Huffington Post

"Let’s hope that Schacter’s book finds its way to the folks who oversee the installation of public art in the city. Some in Boston would like to see the Dewey Square commissions go to local artists, but why not open them to the world? Why not consider the celestial allegorical murals by Interesni Kazki, a duo from Kiev, Ukraine, or the gritty larger-than-life portraits by Portuguese artist Alexandre Farto? This book holds a world of possibilities."—Jan Gardner, Boston Globe

"A truly international and entertaining city by city guide to the most spectacular and most sly works of contemporary art in public places, sometimes authorized, sometimes not."—Kenneth Baker, San Francisco Chronicle

"Curator Schacter offers a stunning survey of artists known for their nonsanctioned public work in this concisely written, yet comprehensive volume. . . . This valuable and impressive tome, featuring a foreword by street and multimedia artist John Fekner, provides an informative, consistent, and well-illustrated narrative of a global art phenomenon."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"This is an excellent introduction to graffiti/street art for readers such as myself, and it will satisfy connoisseurs of the trade, as well."—Kevin Wong, Popmatters

"You’d be hard-pressed to find a nicer-looking coffee table book than The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti. Compiled by Rafael Schacter and put out by Yale University Press, the book is a hefty production, weighing about as much as a laptop and chock-full of gorgeous color photos of some of the planet’s most stunning, creative, classic and avant-garde art on walls, trains and sidewalks."—Askmen.com

"Rarely does a publication come along that can qualify as a definitive reference, but this is definitely one. More than merely a presentation of mural painting and the myriad forms of independent urban creations, it is a validation of the aforementioned as fine art . . . an indispensable reference for art history students and art lovers everywhere."—San Francisco Book Review

"This is a big volume and would make a great coffee table book."—Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"This is a great overview of a fascinating art genre, and its excellent presentation will make it a great gift."—Nico Vreeland, Chamber Four

". . . a piece of art in and of itself."—Examiner.com

"The most eye-opening aspect of this massive, and possibly even definitive, volume is the introduction it offers to graffiti artists in other countries. Among these masterworks are the Philip Guston-like intricacies of EKTA’s creations in Sweden, ARZ’s work in Barcelona, the dreamscapes of AEC and WAONE in Kiev, the Roy Lichtenstein-inspired work of CEPT in London, the nearly countless artists in Mexico City and Melbourne, and the astonishing fantasy animals of BMD in New Zealand. But this is just scratching the surface of the visual delights inside this volume."—Alan Bisbort, Below the Fold

"An inclusive survey of international street art, focusing on some of the world’s most influential urban artists and their works."—Kirkus Reviews

Winner of the 2014 Los Angeles Book Festival in the Photography/Art Category

From the Publisher

Winner of the 2014 Los Angeles Book Festival in the Photography/Art Category.

JM Northern Media LLC - Los Angeles Book Festival

A truly international and entertaining city by city guide to the most spectacular and most sly works of contemporary art in public places, sometimes authorized, sometimes not.”—Kenneth Baker, San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco Chronicle - Kenneth Baker

The most eye-opening aspect of this massive, and possibly even definitive, volume is the introduction it offers to graffiti artists in other countries. Among these masterworks are the Philip Guston-like intricacies of EKTA’s creations in Sweden, ARZ’s work in Barcelona, the dreamscapes of AEC and WAONE in Kiev, the Roy Lichtenstein-inspired work of CEPT in London, the nearly countless artists in Mexico City and Melbourne, and the astonishing fantasy animals of BMD in New Zealand. But this is just scratching the surface of the visual delights inside this volume.”—Alan Bisbort, Below the Fold

Below the Fold - Alan Bisbort

Let’s hope that Schacter’s book finds its way to the folks who oversee the installation of public art in the city. Some in Boston would like to see the Dewey Square commissions go to local artists, but why not open them to the world? Why not consider the celestial allegorical murals by Interesni Kazki, a duo from Kiev, Ukraine, or the gritty larger-than-life portraits by Portuguese artist Alexandre Farto? This book holds a world of possibilities.”—Jan Gardner, Boston Globe

Boston Globe - Jan Gardner

. . . a piece of art in and of itself.”—Examiner.com

Examiner.com - Sandra Cruz

This is a great overview of a fascinating art genre, and its excellent presentation will make it a great gift”—Nico Vreeland, Chamber Four

Chamber Four - Nico Vreeland

This is a big volume and would make a great coffee table book.”—Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Rarely does a publication come along that can qualify as a definitive reference, but this is definitely one. More than merely a presentation of mural painting and the myriad forms of independent urban creations, it is a validation of the aforementioned as fine art . . . an indispensable reference for art history students and art lovers everywhere.”—San Francisco Book Review

San Francisco Book Review

You’d be hard-pressed to find a nicer-looking coffee table book than The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti. Compiled by Rafael Schacter and put out by Yale University Press, the book is a hefty production, weighing about as much as a laptop and chock-full of gorgeous color photos of some of the planet’s most stunning, creative, classic and avant-garde art on walls, trains and sidewalks.“—Askmen.com

Askmen.com

This is an excellent introduction to graffiti/street art for readers such as myself, and it will satisfy connoisseurs of the trade, as well.”—Kevin Wong, Popmatters

Popmatters - Kevin Wong

The art book to beat all art books sets out to become the definitive reference guide on international street art, covering artists hiding in all corners of the globe. From Shepard Fairey's iconic work in California to Tima Radya's political musings across Russia to Os Gemeos' magical characters sprinkled around Brazil, the anthology of murals and more illuminates the visual beauty of street art, as well as the rich history behind it.”—Huffington Post

Huffington Post

Rafael Schacter, a British curator and anthropologist, has bundled into the book’s 400 pages a range of styles and modes offering a rare and pleasant encounter with art in which the critic stays (mostly) out of the way . . . Incorporating histories of graffiti in cities like São Paulo and Tokyo, the book shows us a medium exceptional in its grasping for an essence of place and time. Oh, and it’s beautiful, too.”—New York Times Book Review

New York Times Book Review

“The most eye-opening aspect of this massive, and possibly even definitive, volume is the introduction it offers to graffiti artists in other countries. Among these masterworks are the Philip Guston-like intricacies of EKTA’s creations in Sweden, ARZ’s work in Barcelona, the dreamscapes of AEC and WAONE in Kiev, the Roy Lichtenstein-inspired work of CEPT in London, the nearly countless artists in Mexico City and Melbourne, and the astonishing fantasy animals of BMD in New Zealand. But this is just scratching the surface of the visual delights inside this volume.”—Below the Fold

Below the Fold

“Let’s hope that Schacter’s book finds its way to the folks who oversee the installation of public art in the city. Some in Boston would like to see the Dewey Square commissions go to local artists, but why not open them to the world? Why not consider the celestial allegorical murals by Interesni Kazki, a duo from Kiev, Ukraine, or the gritty larger-than-life portraits by Portuguese artist Alexandre Farto? This book holds a world of possibilities.”—Jan Gardner, Boston Globe

Boston Globe

“. . . a piece of art in and of itself.”—Examiner.com

Examiner.com

“This is a great overview of a fascinating art genre, and its excellent presentation will make it a great gift”—Chamber Four

Chamber Four

“This is an excellent introduction to graffiti/street art for readers such as myself, and it will satisfy connoisseurs of the trade, as well.”—Popmatters

Popmatters