Amsterdam, Graffitti Edition

nzshadow

this city has a history of amazing writers, i was checking out this book at FejMelba's place over the weekend and i decided to dig through some old shots i took over the past few years.I swear, if i went out and only shot graf for weeks i would stillnot even come close to recording it all, and thats only whats out there now.This city fuckin rules.

kala

and that ain't even touched all the shit along the train tracks

The-gaffler

suez
rhyme
sure

that's about it...

nzshadow

suez
rhyme
sure

that's about it...

not even close. these were just taken in my area on my way to and from work. its not likeim trying to document anything, just snapping pics when i stumble across something i like.

I cant recommend the book (i linked to in my first post) enough.

i dont ride the train anymore, i used to each day- centraal to the Bijlmer, crazy graf, but i never took any pics.

maybe ill venture out this week...

Burns

Some I have. Nothing special. Too much to see.



I love this mailbox and the font!

verb606

That shit is ill. When I was in Amsterdam, I don't remember seeing mad graffiti, but on the train from Brussels to Amsterdam, and then from Amsterdam to Cologne, every inch of concrete along the train tracks was destroyed. Every inch. I couldn't believe it. Nothing I saw was as ill as some of the stuff NZ posted, but the sheer quantity put every US city i've been in to shame.

The-gaffler

naw i know what you're sayin NZ, just documenting. nothin wrong.

i saw some clean trains running in Eindhoven once, as well as some spot in Belgium. i think when it comes to european graff, copenhagen has got it.

for the most part, i'm not that big into euro-graff. most of the ho-hum stuff pleases people for some reason and i've never gotten that. like people in the states wouldn't be ooo'ing and aaaah'ing over some rough simple letter with bright painters touch colors in the middle of dallas for instance.

i guess it's the just the bridge between civilain and writer. not really knocking it, but it's something that the viewer on the other side won't normally comprehend other than "if it looks good, it is good"

but the sheer quantity put every US city i've been in to shame.

true, most cities.

sticky_dojah

Amsterdam was one of the most influential cities when it comes to Graf in europe. WAS. sadly though, A'dam is nothin now compared to 15-20 years ago. I remember the first time i was there in 91. I recently found the photos, shit, i don't have a scanner here, but believe me, some of the most serious shit. Gosh, im getting all sentimental when i see all these late 80's, early 90's pieces. That was a time when real burners came up weekly. And don't get me started about throw-ups.
The first time I saw the train system in 92 it was completely destroyed!! It was amazing. during the 90's we used to paint there regularly at the big bridge.


I love amsterdam still, but i don't think the magic can be recreated. And no, i don't think it does have sth to do with getting older. I think there was just a gap between the writers' evolution. Even in my shitty little city, the calligraphic level of tags used to be waaay higher than it is now. Too many toys now. There is no next Delta or Shoe in Amsterdam. Big up SMD Crew and all old schoolers (USA, NNA, Curtiz, Jezis, and damn, AGAIN - still up!!). I just wish back the times when Fat Beats was still fresh and people were rockin'. Now it seems a little dry. But again, without Amsterdam, the evolution of Graf in europe would have gone a different route. Thanks for these pics NZ...can't wait to be there again...

i found these on youtube for keeping memories alive....



and check for "kroonjuwelen", a related documentary about graf in amsterdam!!!

ness

EGS

spelunk

naw i know what you're sayin NZ, just documenting. nothin wrong.

i saw some clean trains running in Eindhoven once, as well as some spot in Belgium. i think when it comes to european graff, copenhagen has got it.

for the most part, i'm not that big into euro-graff. most of the ho-hum stuff pleases people for some reason and i've never gotten that. like people in the states wouldn't be ooo'ing and aaaah'ing over some rough simple letter with bright painters touch colors in the middle of dallas for instance.

i guess it's the just the bridge between civilain and writer. not really knocking it, but it's something that the viewer on the other side won't normally comprehend other than "if it looks good, it is good"

but the sheer quantity put every US city i've been in to shame.

true, most cities.

For real. There is graf in LA, SF, NYC and Philly that puts all of that to shame. You just have to look harder and be in the right neighborhood.

nzshadow

Settle down fellas, i just threw up some pics i had shot to and from work over the last few. Of course this citys graf runs much deeper than what you see here, i am strictly an observer.

I cannot recommend the book i linked to in my first post enough.

you wanna see some amazing graf captured at an amazing time, cop it.

peace.

Tabasko

Shoe

DJCire

Some more for the non-believers! Amsterdam get's down...