I wish we knew more of or heard more from Cliff throughout his time. This video is pretty much all we have. So ahead of his time. One of my favourite artists of all time, graffiti or othwise
It was out of this that "artists" like Keith Haring became rich and famous, with the help of Holly Solomon, who provided "graffiti artists" with paint, tools and art canvases and then sold the resulting paintings in an exhibition of their works. That was in 1980-81. I read about it in ArtNews, at that time.
@@bug______ and don’t forget Basquiat was also a street artist. Something tells me you’re not exactly an art historian. Or maybe you think Bob Ross or Thomas Kinkade are more influential.
I'd never heard of this film previously. I love the early New York graffiti in it's relative infancy in the early/mid 70's. Still raw but starting to evolve into the 'wild style' of the late 70's and early 80's. Many well documented pieces featured here, including the much photographed Blade 'piece at 07:30. Subscribed!
Many legendary pieces featured on this film. Graffiti was probably a little less prolific than during the 80's and pieces probably ran a little longer as a consequence.
@@PODWHEELS Hard to say if that was him or not as he wrote a million variations like Fuzzola, Fuzzy, Fuzztastic etc etc, plus Lord, Lucky Lord, Lord Mom, etc.. which were up.. so whose to say he wouldn't put a 101 after his name too just for fun? Hmm. Anyways, if you ever see the hardcover book called Fuzz One pick it up! It captures the 1970s graffiti scene with a tonne of photos, including burners from 1975 that would have held their own in the 1980s. And details, like Fuzz and Cliff getting trapped in a tunnel together while bombing. I agree that the 'before hip-hop' graffiti scene is really interesting, and lesser known too.
I got into graffiti in the mid 80's. Loved to go on trains and just try to figure out everyone's tag. Like the lady said, it was like a sport to have your name up everywhere. Good times going to yards and layups and walking into the scary azz dark tunnels. It was all fun while it lasted. Made many friends from all over NYC.
🥰 the Towers were still fresh and new back then. So Glad I got a chance to see and feel the originals, and meet all the wonderful ppl who worked there❤️
Usually when we see early graffiti is through old pictures but having it on film is just feels so amazing to see the evolution. I don’t see much graffiti as before though. Real Graffiti artist in my days had balls to do it and go a wall. Now in days we have muralist that use spray can to do paintings on walls. Blah
They will just buff the trains before they run, if anybody bombs them. If you go to Bushwick tho, there are amazing pieces. Most painted under cover of darkness!
Amazing piece of NYC history, perhaps just before the true heart of the graffiti era in the coming years where Seem and the United Artists and Duster etc would take over the city and create true masterpieces.
The Graff was ruff back then ohhh! But that's evolution everything must change n grow the creativity n completion made it excel to crazy heights !!!! Thanks for the history ! I love the sound track!! Folky and Funky!!! Actually Dez sounds alot like Cliff when he was younger ha! ha! Great lil doc!!! My new tag "French Frie 97!"
wow. the entire opening 2min 25 s talks about diversity, melting pot, the many cultures in NYC etc etc, and other than one chinese woman, exclusively pictures white people.
even though i will never do graffiti, (mostly because i live in a suburban area lmao) learning about the styles and history of graffiti is very interesting and inspiring to me
@@sadlad2.018 nope. “writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place” if it ain’t illegal it ain’t graffiti you can look it up if you want 🤷♀️
I remember seeing this in 1976 and I didn't know it was illegal and I remember my dad telling me it was illegal, so that was like the big thing for the teenagers to do when they got there license and kids would risk their lives painting graffiti on the bridges and overpasses but nothing as fancy as New York
Always been a fan of graf since ma hip hop days in the 80s and visited many city’s across the globe to exhibitions, Sydney Australia was one of my favourites although we all know NYC was the birthplace…Nice work thanks
2:24 I literally cannot find this song anywhere and now I’m just wondering how many songs are completely lost like that with only a few 8 tracks and vinyl even left
French Fry 97? He mentioned twice in the lyrics... and at the end titles it says music by King Squire productions... I'd love to know if was ever released on record 🎶❤️✌️
it’s crazy how far graffiti has come, and i can see why it has such a bad stigma. these pieces really did make the city ugly. although now i believe most of the graffiti in new york and throughout the world is beautiful. to me it seems that when people hear “graffiti”, they think of this, and not the modern and masterful works of art we have today.
umm well if it weren't for NYs graffiti scene in the 1970s and actually as early as the late 1960s, then we could only guess if other scenes in the 1980s would have even emerged. Probably not.
