Bern: International Playground is a quirky new zine from Switzerland. One way to describe it is as an almost scientific catalogue showing samples of graffiti found in a particular environment. The photographic survey presented in this format is the result of more than a decade of research into vandalism occurring on Bern’s S-Bahn trains. From the start, the empty frontcover subtly evokes the concept within as the zine concentrates on the often overlooked margins.
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A Subcultural Travel Guide
This is something I’m quite excited to see – a magazine that combines graff and footy! There are occasional bits of football graffiti to be found in various magazines and I’ve seen a couple of special street-art editions of ultras magazines too. However, while I was hoping for an in-depth look at football graffiti, Strfzg doesn’t quite do this. Rather than documenting football related graff, the zine is more like the personal travelogue of an FC Augsburg supporter. As they don’t play too much international football the magazine also highlights various other clubs in the countries that the author has passed through. The introduction describes Strfzg as a fanzine and travel book with some graffiti chucked in.
Continue readingComparatively Speaking
I recently got hold of two nice magazines that have come out this year. The first of them is Schönz Züri, which comes from Switzerland and is dedicated to the scene in Zurich, while the second is a French mag called Boogie Woogie which focuses purely on freights. Although they both mainly concentrate on trains the two publications are actually very different from each other. So first I’ll describe each one to give an idea of what they’re about and then end with a brief comparison of the two.
Continue readingThe Graffiti Handbook
The Routledge Handbook of Graffiti and Street Art is a new release, edited by Jeffrey Ian Ross, which aims to be a comprehensive reference on the subject. At nearly five-hundred pages the book is pretty mega with contributions from a whole range of experts on a number of different topics. Inside there are thirty-five chapters that are split into four key areas. The first is a look at the different types of graffiti, some historical, and what their meanings are. After is a section that focuses on the theory behind the study of graffiti and street art. This is followed up with examples of different place specific graffiti and finally seven chapters around what effect graffiti has on areas such as policy, culture, or mainstream art. As there’s just so much content in the book it’s been a bit hard to work out where to begin. I was particularly interested by certain themes that kept cropping up through the book so decided to focus on a couple of them. The first of these is how discussion of graffiti, more often than not, revolves around issues of contested urban space, state control and gentrification. Graffiti is closely tied up with the effects of neoliberalism which is discussed a lot in the book. Another interesting topic is female participation and the role of gender within the graffiti subculture. After this I dip into two of the chapters from the theory section and then end by briefly outlining a few other chapters to give a better idea of the range of content. As already mentioned this book is pretty thorough and what’s covered here is only a small sample of that.
Continue readingWalls Acquired
I recently got sent Free Wall Space which is a newly released zine showing work by the Barcelona based Bad Buzz. The publication is the result of two years of the artist “pulling his eyes out everyday” sketching to achieve his own style. In fact eyeballs do seem to be a theme running through his work and feature a lot here!
Continue readingNotes from a ‘Zwinglian province’
I can’t say I know too much about Swiss graff as I’ve only briefly set foot in the country with just enough time to slam down a cup of coffee and leave. So I approached Zee City, the new book about graffiti and hip-hop culture in Zurich, with an open mind. As I read through the book I learned a lot about the early influences on Zurich, how they shaped the scene there, and in turn how the city has affected graffiti elsewhere. The story begins typically enough when rap videos or films like Wild Style and Style Wars were shown on European tv. However from there Zurich has its own particular story to tell.
Continue readingFrom Bristol to Prague and Beyond
I have lately got a few zines which I thought I’d review together in one go. ‘Nothing but Tags’, Guide, and another magazine that has no title. In some ways the three are quite similar. They’re fairly low key, contain no descriptive text or introductions, are similar in size and format, and hover around the same price range. However all three also have a different and specific focus to each other.
Continue readingGraffiti and the State in East Asia
This latest post reviews Aestheticizing Public Space by Lu Pan which was released at the end of last year. The book studies graffiti in cities around East Asia; that is Hong Kong, China, Japan and South Korea. Lu Pan works with a broad definition of graffiti that includes everything from conventional graffiti letters, street-art, digital media and even traditional East Asian writing practices. There are four main parts to the book which each focus on different case studies of graffiti and discusses them in the particular social, political, or cultural context they took place. There is also an informative introduction and a ‘special’ fifth chapter of interviews. Lu Pan also sets out four topics for the book; carnival, publicness, aura, and the creative city. However here I’m going to focus on a few themes that crop up throughout the book which stood out for me. In particular there is discussion of the different views and approaches to graffiti in East Asia compared to in the West. Another interesting thread is the relationship between graffiti, public space, and the state. Finally Lu Pan also uses philosophy as a way of explaining and interpreting her subject.
Continue readingThe Root of All Evil
Only a the most unobservant tourist could be in Berlin and fail to notice the graff. And even then they’d probably find themself clattering into piles of empty spray tins as they traversed their way across the city. My point is that graffiti is as much a part of modern Berlin life as currywurst is. Now, it may well be possible to find a publication based around the local wurst scene but more interestingly for me there is a publication that represents Berlin’s graffiti. Auri Sacra Fames is a magazine that comes highly recommended, although until now I’ve not had the pleasure. The title of the magazine is actually Latin and translates as something like ‘hunger for gold’. At first glance the publication looks like it’s purely focused on trains but in actual fact it has a broader content. For this review I’ve got my hands on all four issues that have been published to date so first off I’ll describe the content of the latest copy and then compare it to the earlier ones.
Continue readingGraffiti in the snow
Kuilu 4 is the latest edition of the magazine from Finland. The country is known as a bit of an odd place so I was half expecting Kuilu to be a bit strange too. While there are certainly some more unorthodox styles represented it’s actually an orthodox example of a proper decent graffiti magazine.
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