These portraits tell the story of a pioneering graffiti generation, who went to influence generations to come through graffiti and hip hop. The book catches them at an early time, in what in retrospect seems like an age of innocence: young, free, hopeful. At the verge of commercial success, in this unique NYC effervescence of clubbing, art, graffiti, dereliction, crime and excitement.
The story starts on 675 Hudson Street, nicknamed the « Little Flat Iron Building ». Nestled between notorious gay and BDSM clubs was « Skipper » Ward Merrill Hooper Jr.’s loft on the 3rd floor and Gallery Above Ground on the 2nd. where Crash, DAZE, Pink, Cey and others were working on their nascent art careers.
37 years after, the treasure chest has been rediscovered by DAZE and exhibited at Urban Spree in 2019 in the show « New York Perspectives », curated by Mode 2 with works from DAZE, Joe Conzo, and Polaroids by Skipper, who since 1983 lives in Berlin. Exceptionally well preserved, the Polaroids are now given a second chance to transmit their aura.
Urban Spree Books publishes this time capsule who will appeal to both fans of the old school graffiti NYC era and amateurs of the golden age of Polaroid pictures.
