In this true bible of Alsatian graffiti, Raymond Schoch presents a multitude of graffiti projects. For each work, it offers several photos, as well as a presentation of the artists concerned, with a few lines on their career, in French and English. Alsace is a region in (north)east of France. The book contains pieces by writers/ artists from Strasbourg, Colmar, Mulhouse, Montpellier, Sélestat, Liepre and Molsheim. Featured are: Apaiz, Ares, Brako, Byzar, Dan23, DjéOne, Exer Size,Jaek El Diablo, IEA, Jean Linnhoff, Judd, Kade, Lowick, Missy, Myse, Peaze, Pisco Logik, Rainz, Risk Two, Rosh, Roys32, Screwy, SekuOuane, Stom500, TwoEasy, Wise, Witch, Zeek, Zore, Zyarck. Plus 170 photos taken during various demonstrations/ jams and other occassions during Schoch’s expeditions in Alsace.
From the backcover:
“Alsace Graffiti, it is the simple and clear title I wanted to give this beautifull book. More than thirty artists and more than 400 photos will make you discover the graffiti of artists who have practiced their art in Alsace. For each of them, you will find a small presentation, a personal photo and a few line describing their work, in French and English. For almost two years I have been travelling from north to south of the Alsace region, to find the most beautifull graffiti. The challenge was to get into the circle of those sometimes atypical artists, but so friendly when you are äpproved”. I hope that this book will allow me to share the emotions that I felt when I discovered the masterpieces, which are often hidden”.
For two years photographer Raymond Schoch (1947) travelled the Alsace region from north to south to find the most beautifull graffiti. For two years, he met with graffiti artists from the region to understand how they work and bring their art to life. The result is stunning: 1.8 kg of pure joy!
Raymond Schoch discovered graffiti during a visit to a disused factory. The story begins with a visit to the former dyeing factory of Labonal, the sock manufacturing company in Dambach-la-Ville. “A friend of Dieffenthal had taken me there to show me something.” Raymond Schoch was not disappointed: “I was speechless, in front of things that impressed me, the work of real artists.”
Newspaper carrier, press correspondent for L’Alsace, Raymond Schoch has been passionate about photography since his childhood. He didn’t hesitate for long. “I figured if there was graffiti here, there would be graffiti in other disused factories,” he recalls. I met a graffiti artist, Guillaume Jehl, thanks to a neighbor. With him, I visited several sites, in Sélestat, Strasbourg, Colmar, to take pictures. »
And like him, the first time, friends and relatives were speechless when they discovered the bright colors of the photos taken by Raymond on the gray walls. To the point that the idea germinated to bring them together and turn them into a book. Published at the author’s expense, this splendid book brings together graffiti from about thirty graffiti artists met in the region. Thirty-somethings, a few quadras and younger people, all came to graffiti through hip-hop.
“It took me a while to get them comfortable with me,” says Raymond. But the doors opened and they were happy to show their work, to introduce themselves. I met people of different origins who are interested in the same art that came to France from the USA in the late eighties. »
During the two years of shooting, Raymond Schoch learned to decode tags, see graffiti as a whole, tame their authors. “Hanging out with people I wasn’t used to around is an enriching but tiring experience,” he says. I remember that at the port of the Rhine in Strasbourg, I was told to go to such and such a place and go up the railway. I walked for hours. Another time, leaving an old factory, with Guillaume, we came across two huge bowls. I figured it wasn’t for dachshunds. And we saw the molosses arrive at full gallop. We went back to the factory, where there were pieces of broken glass on the floor, the dogs stopped, and we sped through another entrance. » L’Alsace.fr