#mikdo

SEISMOGRAFFITI

Tags, throw-ups and pieces are part of the visual output graffiti writers produce in public spaces. Compared to the amount of sketches published in books and magazines writers’ drafts seem to belong to another category of lower value. As for example shown in “Writing the Memory of the City” the interest in writers’ sketches did grow in the last years, especially in the subcategory of stylewriting.

Following this approach the author of SEISMOGRAFFITI invited 31 writers to take part in a book project which exclusively focuses on black-and-white drafts. On 44 pages writers like GHOO, HOFF, MIKDO, PLÜK, SHERON or ZAST give insight into a part of their works which usually remains unrecognized in their private archives.

Besides presenting a single sketch or even a series (BROM, SENOR, NOMAD and VERY128) every participant has been asked to reflect and give a statement on their drafts. The outcomes vary from analytic essays to short paragraphs with individual definitions of and thoughts about style as well as quotes, poems and descriptions.

The publication shows once again that sketches can be much more than an ordinary preparation for a planned piece. In SEISMOGRAFFITI sketching is acknowledged as stylewriting practice building and developing an own and individual style, while at the same time the sketch itself is revalued as an equivalent work of graffiti art. Not only the introduction by NOMAD but also the different personal thoughts and theories function as an inspiring and motivating input.