When Will Robson-Scott and Freddie Fraser Forsyth connected through a British forum dedicated to graffiti writing several years ago, they quickly picked up on a shared interest for night-time activities.
But beyond the concern in operating on the fringes, they too noted a gaping hole in the realm surrounding London’s graffiti subculture: the lack of any authentic and extensive documentation of it, both for the writers themselves and for the outsiders peering into an increasingly visible—yet elusive—scene. What ensued between them was an unprecedented and inimitable exploration of graffiti culture, both in London and worldwide, through two books and two video series that offered never before seen snapshots of the scene’s most influential and elite.
The legacy of Crack & Shine and Topsafe London—both of which were born out of the photographer and publisher’s collaborative efforts—extends beyond the visibility of graffiti’s most intimate and articulate chronicle to date. It exists in their far-reaching video features in collaboration with VANS’ Off the Wall TV, from London to Los Angeles and from Berlin to Barcelona. It permeates through the quiet but cardinal moments of reflection and apprehension captured in its subjects. Essential to it all is the position of the photographer and videographer, privileged in his access to these moments but moreover sui generis in his approach. To bridge the divide between the discerning (but intrigued) general public and the proudly impervious circle of writing legends is not easy, yet Robson-Scott’s work over the books and video series is illustrative beyond measure.
Concluding this pivotal series is no simple task, then. The evolution of graffiti at its core, and also in its various and hotly-debated “street art” offshoots, continues to pan out, yet Crack & Shine and Topsafe will remain suspended in the places and times they managed to steal from the very front lines. While much more could be said (and hopefully will be) about the undercurrent of urban culture in London and beyond, we feel it fitting to end our documentation of it by centring on the expositor himself.
From London-based photographer
Will Robson-Scott in conjunction with creative publishing firm Topsafe, we get a glimpse of his latest book entitled
Crack On, Shine On. The unfortunate conclusion to his acclaimed ongoing photography series “
Crack & Shine,” the aforementioned book documents the last seven years of the global graffiti culture as seen through the eyes of Robson-Scott with a total of 74 still images in all. Subjects include artists like the PAL Crew, Kuma, Horfee, Zeser, Vizie and Roids. Limited to just 200 copies worldwide,
Crack On, Shine On is currently available for $30 USD
here.