New release with MOSES & TAPS™ drops on 06 June 2017, 10:00a.m. (GMT+01).

MOSES TAPS THE GRIFTERS SCREEN PRINT DO IT YOURSELF 06 JUNE 10 AM

Grifters Code: Documenting Modern Graffiti Writing

A book by Good Guy Boris

This book tells the story behind the creation of The Grifters, who in a short time have left a long lasting legacy within the graffiti community, pioneering the analogue aesthetic since it’s inception with it culminating in Grifters Code. In this they translated their analogue photography into a digital video format and used the internet for distribution, something entirely different to the normal ebb and flow of the graffiti world. The book goes on to chronicle the success story and birth of Good Guy Boris, explaining and defining the heritage of The Grifters and Grifters Code, the path that lead from its embryonic stages in the backwaters of Bulgaria, through to becoming a mainstay of graffiti photojournalism in the capital of France – and everything in-between.

Part of the focus of the book is Grifters Code; an episodic series of short films that broke the self-imposed and unwritten rules of vandalism, bringing to the viewer not merely the end result of a graffiti piece, but the whole adventure and mystique that surround the process. “Documenting Modern Graffiti Writing” is a testament not only to the evolution of The Grifters, but modern graffiti as we now know it.

As evidenced by its title, the author seeks to explain the motivations behind the documentation of modern day graffiti and explore the more meta concepts in the graffiti world, such as how The Grifters fuelled a resurgence in analogue photography within the graffiti community.

The book is clad in a cover literally made from the high visibility vests appropriated by the writers who infiltrate rail networks, and contains exclusive behind the scenes photos and unreleased works featuring Europe’s most renowned and infamous artists. As is a trait common of The Grifters, the book’s focus is one that encompasses the who, where and why of the ephemeral world of modern graffiti; not merely the what.

Available from 08 February 2017

20p.m. (GMT+1) [ Belgium / France / Germany / Italy / Netherlands / Spain timezones ]
US (EST – New York) – Wednesday 14p.m.
AUSTRALIA (AEDT – Sydney) – Thursday 06a.m.
Check your city timezone here.

The book release will be followed by live stream with commentary by the author.

Facebook event here.

Grifters Code: Documenting Modern Graffiti Writing

GRAFFITI WITHOUT GRAFFITI - RESTOCK

We are happy to announce the long waited restock of our book Graffiti Without Graffiti.

Graffiti Without Graffiti is a comprehensive and psychoanalytical dissection of the experiences found in the graffiti culture and lifestyle, without the graffiti pieces itself.

Each of the five authors has been challenged with a task - to use only 36 pages to show graffiti without the ability to depict the graffiti itself. The mix of exclusive footage, confrontational illustration and sophisticated text, reveals the charade surrounding the graffiti culture.

This book is the first monograph of The Grifters Collective currently comprised by the 1992 Collective, Badyear85, Eewan, Good Guy Boris, James Hattrick & Thorfine. Originally presented exclusively for the exhibition G.W.G at Urban Spree Gallery in July 2015.

All books are numbered and signed by the 5 Authors.

GRAFFITI WITHOUT GRAFFITI BOOK THE GRIFTERS COLLECTIVE COLLECTOR EDITION

STORY:

THE FIRST PHOTO-BLOG BY THE GRIFTERS popped up on the Internet almost ten years ago, a project drawn from the psyche of a focused Eastern European. With the help of his friends, armed with nothing but point and shoot film cameras, The Grifters began documenting and reporting on the lifestyles of the people that surrounded them. Punctuating these reports with humor and irony, sarcasm and provocation, all the while captured with beautiful photography, The Grifters revealed a wholly new perspective on the current generation. The Grifters took an approach that nobody else was taking at the time, by portraying everything surrounding the act of graffiti, whilst avoiding the resulting graffiti itself. Highlighted by this approach is the realization that there are many more interesting moments and emotions to capture, other than only graffiti. The Grifters started out as a graffiti-like blog with an alternative and fresh point of view, taking pride in their selection of the most prolific graffiti writers. Within a few short years it had developed into something much bigger than just one photographer’s journal. The Grifters, in establishing one of the most recognizable Internet platforms for urban culture, opened a door for a whole new way of documenting and presenting the stories of people who were once labelled as outcasts. They developed these narratives into something philosophical, romanticized and sophisticated. The Grifters not only showed the darker side of society through their beautiful photography and video, but also added a sense of morality, by way of the provocative messages and quotes that we see in their publications.

IN MAY 2014, AFTER BEING SET UP BY THE FRENCH VANDAL SQUAD, the creator and head of The Grifters was sent to prison, accused of crimes including Terrorism and Conspiracy. Good Guy Boris was to spend four months remanded in custody in the largest European prison, for merely filming people doing graffiti and posting this on the Internet. This “low blow” on behalf of the police, gave way to The Grifters rising even more in popularity.

VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE AWARE that during the time Boris spent in prison, he invited four new people to join the platform of The Grifters. This was the first step taken in developing The Grifters into an art collective. He called upon other young and talented photographers, an illustrator and a writer to join with him to form the collective that The Grifters is currently comprised of today, namely the 1992 Collective, BadYear85, Eewan, Good Guy Boris, James Hattrick & Thorfine. Quickly after the return of Boris from his “holidays”, The Grifters had organized a series of successful exhibitions in Paris, the capital of art and fashion, and their next target is establishing a milestone before the birth of their latest form of evolution - The Grifters Journal.

GRAFFITI WITHOUT GRAFFITI. The name of the project reveals the rationale behind the evolution of The Grifters. This work is a comprehensive and psychoanalytical dissection of the experiences found in the graffiti culture and lifestyle, without the graffiti itself, effectively mirroring the credo of The Grifters. This project is the embodiment of something that The Grifters have been documenting and doing, for almost a decade. The highlight is the limited edition book “GRAFFITI WITOUT GRAFFITI”, a landmark in the saga of The Grifters, and the first project released by them as an art collective. Each artist has been challenged with a task, to use only 36 pages to show graffiti without the ability to depict the graffiti itself. The mix of exclusive footage, confrontational illustration and sophisticated text, helps reveal the charade surrounding Graffiti culture. This book will be the closest explanation to date of what The Grifters is truly about.

COLLECTOR EDITION:

The edition of 500 copies is signed and numbered by all of the 5 authors, comes packed in a stylish black slip case.

EXHIBITION:

The collector edition of 500 copies was originally presented in the Graffiti Without Graffiti exhibition at the Urban Spree Galerie in Berlin. From 16 to 31 July 2015 The Grifters Collective occupied the space and exposed artworks and installation, expanding the story of the book.

GRAFFITI WITHOUT GRAFFITI exhibition and book launch at Urban Spree Gallery, Berlin.

©Photos: Badyear85

INTERVIEW:

Video interview with Good Guy Boris, shot during the G.W.G. exhibition.

BUY THE BOOK:

PROBATION VACATION: LOST IN ASIA by UTAH & ETHER - SOLD OUT

The Collector edition of PROBATION VACATION: LOST IN ASIA by UTAH & ETHER has been SOLD OUT

Collector edition limited in 500, signed and numbered by the artists is gone.

PROBATION VACATION LOST IN ASIA BY UTAH ETHER SOLD OUT COLLECTOR EDITION

Original version of the book will be available soon here and selected shops & libraries worldwide.

Join our newsletter and be the first to know the day of the release.

Full information about the project & the book here.

UTAH & ETHER - PROBATION VACATION: LOST IN ASIA

New book by Utah & Ether

UTAH & ETHER - PROBATION VACATION: LOST IN ASIA

Collector edition of 500 copies, signed and numbered by the artist.

UTAH ETHER PROBATION VACATION LOST IN ASIA BOOK SIGNED AND NUMBERED THE GRIFTERS PUBLISHING COLLECTOR EDITION

The first monograph of Utah & Ether tells the story of American couple who left their home land for good. Breaking the probation by boarding on a plane to India in 2011 and knowing they can never come back, they set a course for new adventure, which lasted 5 years in the world's largest and wildest continents - Asia. The following years Bonnie & Clyde spent traveling through 11 Countries, 37 cities, lurking day and night metro depots, so far untouched by graffiti writers.

The project was called PROBATION VACATION: LOST IN ASIA and the documentation of the nomadic journey was separated in two:

1. First, the video footage they created 12 original episodes, which allow us to follow U&E and experience a small part of their adventure. To be part of the action and to celebrate the accomplishment of their goals. This series was (and continue to be) release online for free.

2. The second part is held in a book. A book that will tell us the stories, the experience and the emotions they had along the way. This personal regard introduce us details and situations, which we can't see or understand in their videos. Together with a selection of their best photographies, the book will complete the experience and set a new milestone in the modern history of graffiti.

Available from 5 May, 10:00am (gmt+01) here.

Join our newsletter (click here) and get an email with a link at the moment of the launch.

UTAH ETHER PROBATION VACATION LOST IN ASIA BOOK SIGNED AND NUMBERED THE GRIFTERS PUBLISHING COLLECTOR EDITION

RACE FLAG: Art book by FELIPE PANTONE & OMAR QUINONES

RACE FLAG

Race Flag is a conversation between visual artist Felipe Pantone and photographer Omar Quiñones through images. A single emoji occupies the cover, the use of this title is a statement of intent: They have a conversation not with words, but images, making use of the multiple meanings and readings they may contain.

The artists establish a game in which Felipe Pantone poses a question in the form of an image, comprised of the different elements of his work, consisting mainly of abstract forms. Omar Quiñones then answers with a photograph, figurative elements based on what inspires him from the received image, creating a new dimension focusing on forms, meanings and feelings.

With this format, they establish a kind of abstraction in reverse, in which both artists bring new meanings throughout the layout of the images. Felipe expresses himself with vectors, digital files and defined shapes, enhancing the abstraction; while Omar does so with images captured on photographic film, with grain and imperfections, coaxing the reader to enter a more physical dimension.

RACE FLAG
ISBN 978-619-7267-00-6

Art book by Felipe Pantone & Omar Quiñones
Published by The Grifters Publishing™

Limited Edition of 500 copies, signed and numbered by the artists.

Hardcover, Color Offset lithography on 80 pages, 18x18cm (7.2x72 inch)
#RaceFlag #FelipePantone #OmarQuinones #TheGriftersPublishing