Art in the Streets

Subway cars and abandoned lots provided NYC graffiti artists with their first canvases and tagging soon exploded into bubble letters and “wild-style” scenes. Early “cholo” graffiti defined L.A. neighborhoods with bold, black-and-white, English-style lettering. Other New York–influenced styles began to appear on buses, freeways, and walls throughout L.A. by the early 1980s. This reprint of the collector’s item from 2011 focuses on the emergence and evolution of the art form in these two locations, the cultures that surrounded them, and street art. Accessible essays by cultural critics Greg Tate, Carlo McCormick, and others complement numerous interviews and conversations with revered artists. Additional chapters consider the artists and distinct styles that emerged in San Francisco, São Paulo, London, Paris, etc., and how street art has translated into fashion and other forms of branding. An illustrated chronology and 60 short bios complete this wide-ranging history.