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NJ GRAFF PRESS RELEASE:
ARTWORKS is pleased to host:
New Jersey Graf: A glimpse into urban art in New Jersey
Curated by Leon Rainbow and hosted by The Vicious Styles Crew
Friday July 13- Friday August 17, 2007
Opening Reception: Friday July 13, 6-10 pm
Featuring a DJ and live graffiti painting
Art made on the street is often overlooked as a viable art expression, especially if it is considered illegal. Yet as one travels the train lines, highways and inner cities of New Jersey one finds an active and vital graffiti art movement taking place. It is not an accident that in these often neglected, raw or industrial spaces graffiti finds a home. Graffiti’s colorful vibrancy and imagery can be viewed as a counterpoint to these surroundings.
The origin of the word “graffiti” is “graffio,” the singular of “scratch” in Italian (to make scratches is “graffire,” the verb). Today’s graffiti is a highly evolved mark-making; one needs to spend time studying the differences that distinguish each artist. First begun in the form of ‘tags’—-signatures and signs made with spray paint in public places—graffiti art has evolved as a creative expression, often although not always, charged with political meaning.
New Jersey Graf highlights legal graffiti and features unique styles and innovations made by some of New Jersey’s finest— Ache, Amose, Anthrax, Azma, Ricardo Barros, Byas, Chum, Cose, Demer, Dezo, Dosel, East, Hueman, Jrep, Kasso, Kastor, Koin, Macho, Mek, Naks, Navel, Nome, Plan, Pro, Leon Rainbow, Sand, Sgod, Sife, Soco, Space-1134, Stie, Swine, and Year. Graffiti artists also create in groups, called crews. NJ Graf includes the following crews ADHD, BPK, DITL, FH, VS, Wallnuts, to name a few.
The shadows of New York and Philadelphia loom large over much of New Jersey’s cultural scene. New Jersey Graf sets the record straight.
New Jersey Graf is part of the New Jersey Graffiti Festival, organized by Leon Rainbow, during July and August 2007 in Trenton NJ. Other activities include:
Teen Graffiti workshop at ARTWORKS (ages 12 and up)
Saturday July 21 10 am-2 pm $20 per student
Bring your own spray paint! (Krylon, Rusto, Montana)
www.artworkstrenton.org
Slide show discussion of Graffiti Art with John Naar at ARTWORKS
July - Date to be announced
www.artworkstrenton.org
Birth of Graffiti book signing with John Naar at Classics Bookstore
Saturday August 11, noon-2 pm
117 S. Warren Street, Trenton NJ
More Graf at Café Ole August 11-September 7,2007
Saturday August 11, 6-10 pm
Reception, Black book session, and JerseyGraf.com launch party
126 S. Warren Street, Trenton NJ
www.cafeolecoffee.com
Third Annual Street Art Film Festival at The Contemporary
Friday August 17, 6-10 pm
Admission $2
176 W. State Street, Trenton NJ
www.albuscav.us
Third Annual Work Factory Graffiti Jam at Terracycle
Saturday August 18, 10 am-dusk
Sunday August 19, 10 am-dusk
Open to artists from all over, wall space permitting!
121 New York Avenue, Trenton NJ
www.terracycle.net
For more information on NJ Graf, contact Elise Mannella, 609-672-7455.
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(Note: Reviewers interested in grafitti’s history are referred to www.wkipedia.org and www.graffiti.org/faq/stowers.)
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