NOGA, the Nation of Graffiti Artists, was an artist’s workshop located in New York City. Photojournalist Michael Lawrence documented the experiment from 1974 to 1979. NOGA’s focus was teaching neighborhood kids how to paint, blending the boundaries between workshop and radical politics as kids were taught to bring their artwork to local protests, sell their work in street fairs, and exhibit murals on buildings.
For some youngsters, it was the first time holding a brush or spray can. It was a lesson in creative capitalism, but for most of the participants, the true payoff was in finding their voice. The story of the experience is told by the workshop’s surviving members and through Lawrence’s extraordinary images.
Designed by Leon Gonzales
Published by Beyond the Streets and Gingko Press
Second edition, 2023
Hardcover, 152 pages, full color, 8 × 11 inches
Buy from Draw Down: https://draw-down.com/collections/new-titles/products/nation-of-graffiti-artists
November 11, 1971, artist/railroad brakeman Russell Butler begins a drawing/network experiment he dubs Boxcar Icon Dispatch, which he continues to this day.
Chaz Bojórquez - Pioneer/godfather of east Los Angeles cholo-style graffiti, traditional from 1950s. His street tag from 1969 - Mr Lucky, adopted as a gangster tattoo symbolising protection from death. His brush painted lettering is seen in fashion and art galleries world wide
Showcasing the works of more than 100 artists, London’s Saatchi Gallery is hosting a brand new exhibition, exploring the impact of graffiti and street art across the world. Beyond the Streets London captures historic moments in this artistic movement.
“The unsanctioned, vandalist, rebellious nature of the movement is core to the show," explained Co-curator, Evan Pricco. "But it’s also how that has grown and how that has influenced the way that people do fashion, the way that people do photography, the way that people do music.”