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TRAINS DE MARCHANDISES – VOLUME 1

RAP is a Paris originated writer who started doing graffiti in the early nineties. As member of maybe the most iconic French bombing crews U.V. and TPK he has not only been active as a hardcore writer of the capital, he also always kept documenting what was going on around him.

“I’m a graffiti addict, so I couldn’t imagine not taking pictures of others too. So I took pictures of everything I could. […] My aim is to share and save those archives.” (Interview on www.lectrics.fr in 2014)

Whether it has been tags in the streets or tunnels of Paris, heavily destroyed commuter trains, sometimes from all over Europe, or freight trains – RAP always kept an eye open for graff that was worth capturing. With the GRAFFALIFE series he started publishing parts of his big archive material in books and magazines, each with a thematic focus.

In the first volume of “TRAINS DE MARCHANDISES” you can find a mixture of straight documentary photographic content, action shots and atmospheric shots from yards, bridges and industrial areas taken in between 2008 and 2012. While for example the European Transwaggon trains travel all over Europe and you have a number of writers whose names might appear in Hamburg, Stockholm or Bucharest , the French system seems to be more closed. Of course you can find stuff from KISS, NASE, KAYE, KOSMO, FLASH and even traces of FUME and FIRE, but the main part consist of names and styles one is not used to, if not interested in the French fret-scene. Most of the shots seem to be taken while RAP was active in the yards, getting up with countless tags, throw-ups and pieces in the common U.V. TPK style.

GRAFFALIFE No.6 – CHAMP-DE-MARS / RER C

RAP is a Paris originated writer who started doing graffiti in the early nineties. As member of maybe the most iconic French bombing crews U.V. and TPK he has not only been active as a hardcore writer of the capital, he also always kept documenting what was going on around him.

“I’m a graffiti addict, so I couldn’t imagine not taking pictures of others too. So I took pictures of everything I could. […] My aim is to share and save those archives.” (Interview on www.lectrics.fr in 2014)

Whether it has been tags in the streets or tunnels of Paris, heavily destroyed commuter trains, sometimes from all over Europe, or freight trains – RAP always kept an eye open for graff that was worth capturing. With the GRAFFALIFE series he started publishing parts of his big archive material in books and magazines, each with a thematic focus.

In the sixth chapter of RAPs GRAFFALIFE series he focuses on the Champ de Mars tunnel which is located right underneath the most iconic French landmark ever, the Eiffel Tower. Although the No.6 was released in 2012, the photos showing classic Paris handstyle signatures, throw-ups, naive pieces and fast silver bombings, have been taken in the early 2000s. Besides an introduction by RAP his crewmate FUZI wrote a text alongside with statements on the tunnel from IOYE, KONKI, KADE and NASCIO. This zine is an unique document of history including many ancient traces of actions, some dating back to the late eighties.

GRAFFALIFE No.5 – ENCEINTES RATP

RAP is a Paris originated writer who started doing graffiti in the early nineties. As member of maybe the most iconic French bombing crews U.V. and TPK he has not only been active as a hardcore writer of the capital, he also always kept documenting what was going on around him.

“I’m a graffiti addict, so I couldn’t imagine not taking pictures of others too. So I took pictures of everything I could. […] My aim is to share and save those archives.” (Interview on www.lectrics.fr in 2014)

Whether it has been tags in the streets or tunnels of Paris, heavily destroyed commuter trains, sometimes from all over Europe, or freight trains – RAP always kept an eye open for graff that was worth capturing. With the GRAFFALIFE series he started publishing parts of his big archive material in books and magazines, each with a thematic focus.

RAPs documentary series continues but does not focus on one single location in this issue. This time several spots along the metro rails have been arranged together. To keep track of the different tunnels and outside trainline photographs you can find an exact map at the end of the zine. All the shots have been taken in the summer of 2000 and are accompanied with texts from FREZ, RAP, PSEYE, BUGZ79, HASER, STOR, BABS and KEAG. In GRAFFALIFE No.5 you can find tags, throw-ups and pieces by: TRANE, SUN7, COLORZ, SOXER, RAP, COSE, CLM, JASE, ARNAK, CHAMAN, NASTY and many, many more.

GRAFFALIFE No.2 – STATIONS FANTÔMES

RAP is a Paris originated writer who started doing graffiti in the early nineties. As member of maybe the most iconic French bombing crews U.V. and TPK he has not only been active as a hardcore writer of the capital, he also always kept documenting what was going on around him.

“I’m a graffiti addict, so I couldn’t imagine not taking pictures of others too. So I took pictures of everything I could. […] My aim is to share and save those archives.” (Interview on www.lectrics.fr in 2014)

Whether it has been tags in the streets or tunnels of Paris, heavily destroyed commuter trains, sometimes from all over Europe, or freight trains – RAP always kept an eye open for graff that was worth capturing. With the GRAFFALIFE series he started publishing parts of his big archive material in books and magazines, each with a thematic focus.

In STATIOS FANTÔMES RAP presents photos which have been taken in between 2000 and 2001 while he did explore several tunnels and shut down train stations (Saint-Martin, Champ-de-Mars, Croix-Rouge and Haxo) together with FUZI. The 2nd GRAFFALIFE issue is limited to 300 copies only and does not only include several traces by writers like XENON, HASER, O’CLOCK, SONIC, POZER and DYSTUR but also rare shots of mid and late 1980s pieces by ACRO and BANDO, our personal favorites!