Description:
NY City of Kings chronicles the history of graffiti's genesis in New York from its late 1960s origin to the present, as seen through the lens of writers who started the movement.
Review Quotes:
A compact, attractive, and dense timeline colorfully presents a cogent, multifaceted historical record of the secretive yet public graffiti culture..."
- Brooklyn Street Art
"Lucid and data-rich, this is the telling of how a widespread urge to tag the New York streets survived years of intense government attacks and has become a global art movement..."
- Anthony Haden-Guest, writer/art critic
"Beautifully presented essential history - and the book is equally fantastic."
- Jim Jarmusch, filmmaker
"It is a very well thought out and researched history, comparing the early events in graffiti art in New York City with the current cultural and social events of the time. Very informative!"
- Bob Gruen, pop culture photographer
"Events, history, information and spotlighted artists can be found within this 'hitchhikers guide' to graffiti."
- Dave Navarro, musician/visual artist
"...documents [graffiti's] rise from tagging names through layups, yards and ultimately on a global stage...masterfully juxtaposes developments in style with what was happening in New York socially, economically and politically, providing crucial context. This is the story from the inside, not some overhyped hiphop fanboy fever dream."
- David Gonzales, The New York Times