Piecebook Reloaded: Rare Graffiti Drawings

Written by The Anonymous Bee on Saturday, 20 February 2010 00:00

Damn, Who's Piecebook Is That!? I asked as I walked past the coffee table in DJ Suprema’s Los Angeles Apartment. The book lay open to [reveal] a two-page full color work of genius entitled “Evil Doctor Revolt” in the iconic script of infamous NY subway artiste Revolt RTW. Peaking out from underneath the [lifted] pages were slivers of vibrant burners and bold sharpie tags. I started to flip through and quickly became mesmerized by the dazzling collection of masterpieces and unreal compilation of artists. I’m talking half the cast of Wild Style along with countless featured artists from the classic graffiti documentary Style Wars; Lady Pink, Seen, Zephyr, Haze, and Iz the Wiz (RIP), just to name a few. In the 1980’s these artists and their cohorts pioneered a movement that would evolve into a global [graffiti] phenomenon. I pondered, who got all these artists up in one book and how did it end up in my hands? Could this be fate?

With each turning page the thought persisted, “Whose irreplaceable book is this, and what were they thinking letting it out of their sight? How did it end up here, sitting in front of me, on this coffee table, in Los Angeles? I mean seriously, something could spill on it. Maybe I should take it home to prevent any possibility of damage. Now, I’m not one to steal from friends, but this seemed more like a matter of historic preservation, even my duty as an urban “documentarian”. Perhaps it was fate, perhaps it was written.

Once it was decided that preservation would be the honorable decision, I felt free to further explore this newfound treasure. Anyway, I had to keep it cool and act natural while figuring out how to conceal the item in order to smuggle it out of the building. There I was, flipping through the pages, scoping the floorplan searching for an exit strategy. After coming across the renowned insignia of Stay High 149 the intoxicating nostalgia had fully set in.

Slowly clues began to emerge as to the potential origins of this magnificent visual anthology. There’s the Cavster piece with heading “For Iz the Wiz”, could Iz be the original owner? Or does it belong to one of the Lords of Brooklyn, featured in the centerfold and throughout? Perhaps Python, who boasts some of the oldest works in the book?

After careful analysis an exit strategy was devised. But I still hadn’t figured out whose book I was plotting to procure. Then, just when I was about to close the book and solve the mystery I was distracted by the front inside cover, packed with thro-ups, aka bubble letters, from notorious TATS CRU royalty Bio, Nicer, and BG 183. Finally, I closed the cover…

Snap! I should’ve known. The signature hand styles of Chino (BYI) grace the cover of, “PIECEBOOK RELOADED: Rare Graffiti Drawings 1985-2005”, the second volume in a series of graffiti anthologies from the dynamic duo Sacha Jenkins and David Villorente who brought you the original, “PIECEBOOK: The Secret Drawings of Graffiti Writers”. I can’t believe they fooled me! I should have suspected something as the book was in unusually pristine condition for a piecebook. But the ink bleeds through the page like it was drawn with a marker, one of many upgrades in the latest edition.

Aside from being a visual indulgence the authors have included a treatment on the role of the piecebook as a visual history book of graffiti art and culture. PIECEBOOK RELOADED is a must have for art enthusiasts, a trip back in time for graffiti aficionados, and anyone frontin like they know whatsup! Much props to the authors for paying homage to the piecebook and preserving the history of graffiti for generations to come. Just one question. What’s coming in the third edition? West Coast All Stars, Female Writers, International Exchange? And just in case you were wondering, in the end I still came up on the book. Call it force of habit.

By The Anonymous Bee