Equal parts historian and disruptor Roger Gastman is a curator, urban anthropologist, collector and filmmaker. He has dedicated his life to educating, entertaining and solidifying the cultural importance of graffiti as a significant contemporary art form. Gastman served as a producer of the 2010 Academy Award-nominated film Exit Through the Gift Shop, and the co-curator of the first and largest graffiti exhibition, Art in the Streets, held in 2011 at the MoCA in Los Angeles. He has published magazines and produced over 80 books. He is the founder of BEYOND THE STREETS, the premiere exhibition of graffiti, street art and beyond. Rolling Like Thunder, his latest documentary which highlights the Freight Train Graffiti movement, is currently airing on Showtime.

"Matta-Clark's exploration of this vibrant street culture reflects his eye as much as the burgeoning scene in evolution, a unique pairing of artists' visions through film...Gordon Matta-Clark, known for his significant impact on conceptual art and his critiques of urban environments, captured these moments with a different aim than most photographers of his time. Instead of simply documenting, he delved into the graffiti scene with an artist's eye, capturing the raw and spontaneous energy of the city's youth."-- "Brooklyn Street Art"

"As vital as these photos are to the history of graffiti and its incredible explosion as an art form the world over just a few years after these were taken, this is also at the heartbeat of what Matta-Clark's life work was. This is about taking space, using space, owning space, rebelling against a system but also reclaiming a system."-- "Juxtapoz"

"...an unprecedented glimpse into the raw, untamed world of New York City's graffiti scene during the pivotal years of 1972 and 1973."-- "Artillery "

"...an important contribution to our understanding of the artist and the then-nascent graffiti art movement."-- "Medium"

"After witnessing the urban portrait of New York City before street art, Gordon Matta-Clark recognized early on the powerful force of graffiti as a critical expression that echoes the plight of the people. Fascinated by the vigor behind these arrows, characters, letters, and 3D elements, the young artist found beauty amidst the chaos, capturing the development of graffiti art in its infancy."-- "Widewalls "

Publisher: Beyond the Streets

Pub date: 2024-07-03

Length: 408 pages