Image via Complex Original
LEAD
The lines between graffiti and street art are often blurred, misrepresented, and monetized by people who have limited knowledge of the culture, and the authenticity provided by the new book, Crack & Shine International is a refreshing take on the world. The new book is the second from publisher Fred Forsyth and photographer Will Robson Scott, and is an honest and revealing picture of the graffiti sub-culture from around the world. In Freddie's words, "Crack & Shine International is the follow up to Crack & Shine, which was the first book on graffiti in London. We were commissioned by Vans to create a new book in a similar vein to the first, but to do it globally. We have featured some of our favorite writers from London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Berlin & Amsterdam, and we've also created a series of films and animations with Vans Off The Wall TV to coincide with the book."
We caught up with Freddie and Will to take us through a few of the images from the book, click on the gallery to check out a preview of Crack & Shine International and an interview with its creators, and then go buy this thing at TopSafe London.
[Crack & Shine International]
VFR
VFR
"There are usually some levels of trepidation when you meet writers who you have built up an opinion of graffiti media, and VFR is the embodiment of that super hardcore, cloak & dagger type of New York bomber that you'd come across in magazines and videos in the 1990s. Fortunately, VFR was anything but the aggressive, imposing figure I'd imagined him to be in person.
"I think this was the first portrait Will did for the book. It was taken in the pouring rain outside the Yankee Stadium in August 2009. My girl, who had no preconception of what VFR stood for, was quite happy asking him to 'flex his guns' for the photo. We decided no girlfriends when we met writers from then on."
-FFF
[Crack & Shine International]
REVOK
Revok
"Featuring Revok in the first Crack & Shine book was a very contentious inclusion at the time. He'd been to London and painted some seriously high profile spots and he also happens to be one of the most prolific bombers in the world over the past 20 years so. To me I didn't see the issue with having him in there, despite him being an out of towner. Anyway, a few final changes had to be made (check the binding on the first issue to see the evidence) to keep everyone happy.
"Revok was one of the first people on our list for the second book, and he's one of the nicest guys I've met in graffiti. He embodies the modern day graffiti writer who embraces self promotion. To me has become a leader of 21st century graffiti and he has the work ethic of a Hollywood film agent."
-FFF
[Crack & Shine International]
Horfe
Horfe
"Horfe is part of a new breed of writer, his style seems to grow daily and blurs the line of contemporary artist and vicious vandal. His worldwide popularity has stemmed from the Internet and his daily applications of paint to the Parisian streets. This image was taken in a Parisian staircase in the Arabic quarter. We were trying to get onto rooftop, we opened a squeaky wooden door and awoke about 20 pigeons. One landed on his head, he froze, and I got one exposure. He hates pigeons."
-WRS
[Crack & Shine International]
TANDG
Twice + Gear (T+G)
"All bombers have reputations, and most rarely live up to them. Twice and Gear do. They have a bond like Siamese twins, and drink like fish. The first time we met, our flight was delayed 6 hours, so our arrival was at about 2AM. Our rendezvous was supposed to be on the platform at Amsterdam Central, but they were nowhere to be seen. We walked outside of the station and heard them screaming our names walking around in circles, i think they had been shouting our names for about 30 mins. This image was taken on about the 18th floor of an abandoned office block. To get in we had to climb about 5 stories on the outside of the liftshaft, and when I was about halfway up the third story my tripod slipped out my bag and missed the person climbing behind me and the person at ground level by centimeters, if it had connected with anyone I'm not sure they would be here to tell the tale."
-WRS
[Crack & Shine International]
ROID
Roid
"Crack & Shine international was actually Roid's idea. I have worked with him on a number of projects through my agency, Topsafe, for the past 2 years now. He's easily one of the most talented creative people I've met, in and out of graffiti. I think most people who know him would agree that he's a genius. His graffiti isn't too bad either. I imagine he'll be running his own brands and agency in the future. This is a portrait of him with his mother's dog. The dog got it's hair cut specially for the shot."
-FFF
[Crack & Shine International]