admin
22 December 2023
If you ever doubted the artistic merit and craftsmanship of graffiti, or the power it can possess, Stencil Pirates is the perfect primer for your unlearned ass. Clocking in at 192 pages, Stencil Pirates (Soft Skull Press) is a verbal, visual educational tool for those curious about one of the most aesthetically distinct art forms around.
Author/artist/activist Josh MacPhee provides all the information you ever wanted to know about stencil graffiti, including its history, its political presence throughout the world, and exactly how it fits into the renegade visual culture of street expression. Add to that an impressive gallery of stencil graffiti from all over the world (nearly 1,000 images, in fact), plus some do-it-yourself supplies (an instructional manual and sample stencils), and you have yourself one of the most comprehensive stencil compendiums around.
If you doubt the pedestal I’m putting this art form on, thumb through the book. There are simple, text-only, monochromatic pieces that will floor you with the sheer power of the message they’re spreading. Likewise, there are highly-detailed, multi-color pieces that will capture your admiration out of sheer respect for the tedious cutting and patience required to present such images. Whether it’s a powerful, picture/text piece calling for the release of political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, or a just-plain-pretty stencil of young Audrey Hepburn, stencil graffiti deserves the respect and appreciation of any art form. And Stencil Pirates is the perfect mouthpiece for its cause.
Author/artist/activist Josh MacPhee provides all the information you ever wanted to know about stencil graffiti, including its history, its political presence throughout the world, and exactly how it fits into the renegade visual culture of street expression. Add to that an impressive gallery of stencil graffiti from all over the world (nearly 1,000 images, in fact), plus some do-it-yourself supplies (an instructional manual and sample stencils), and you have yourself one of the most comprehensive stencil compendiums around.
If you doubt the pedestal I’m putting this art form on, thumb through the book. There are simple, text-only, monochromatic pieces that will floor you with the sheer power of the message they’re spreading. Likewise, there are highly-detailed, multi-color pieces that will capture your admiration out of sheer respect for the tedious cutting and patience required to present such images. Whether it’s a powerful, picture/text piece calling for the release of political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, or a just-plain-pretty stencil of young Audrey Hepburn, stencil graffiti deserves the respect and appreciation of any art form. And Stencil Pirates is the perfect mouthpiece for its cause.
artid
2861
Old Image
7_4_stencil.jpg
issue
vol 7 - issue 04 (dec 2004)
section
entertainmental