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Street Craft: Yarnbombing, Guerilla Gardening, Light Tagging, Lace Graffiti and More
An exciting introduction to a new generation of street artists whose spontaneous craft installations are leaving their mark on cities around the world In the past decade, street art has transformed from a practice carried out by anonymous creators, seen by some as vandalism, into a commercial enterprise and a respectable part of the international art market. One of the richest movements in street art has been the development of an alternative, crafts-based, three-dimensional movement, broadly identified as Street Craft. This new generation of artists is creating uncommissioned, site-specific works employing a range of art and craft techniques, including weaving, crocheting, sculpting, painting, gardening, light installation, and more.
Street Craft brings together twenty-eight different artists from different countries whose work has redefined what street art can be. By diversifying materials and techniques, Street Craft artists are pushing beyond the two-dimensionality of graffiti and mural-painting, many of them using craft techniques to bring inventive beauty to bland urban surroundings. Tasha Lewis’s blue butterfly swarms decorate derelict corners of Indianapolis and New York, and Mademoiselle Maurice’s origami and lace graffiti beautifies the streets of Paris and Hong Kong. Other artists create sophisticated urban interventions bearing their personal tags, such as the artist SpiderTag, who intertwines sturdy rope and nails to construct abstract graffiti in Madrid, and GorillaLighting, who haunts Berlin’s industrial estates with impermanent projections.
Each artist’s profile includes project descriptions, artist statements, and a selection of photographs of their a document of the vibrant panorama of Street Craft, which, like the art form itself, engages with its audience in new and exciting ways. 250 color illustrations
Street Craft brings together twenty-eight different artists from different countries whose work has redefined what street art can be. By diversifying materials and techniques, Street Craft artists are pushing beyond the two-dimensionality of graffiti and mural-painting, many of them using craft techniques to bring inventive beauty to bland urban surroundings. Tasha Lewis’s blue butterfly swarms decorate derelict corners of Indianapolis and New York, and Mademoiselle Maurice’s origami and lace graffiti beautifies the streets of Paris and Hong Kong. Other artists create sophisticated urban interventions bearing their personal tags, such as the artist SpiderTag, who intertwines sturdy rope and nails to construct abstract graffiti in Madrid, and GorillaLighting, who haunts Berlin’s industrial estates with impermanent projections.
Each artist’s profile includes project descriptions, artist statements, and a selection of photographs of their a document of the vibrant panorama of Street Craft, which, like the art form itself, engages with its audience in new and exciting ways. 250 color illustrations
224 pages, Hardcover
First published February 10, 2015
2 people are currently reading
271 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 11, 2015
I'm cheating a bit, here ~ I still have fifty pages to go... but this book is so amazing and inspiring, I have to stop right now and share it!
"The Pansy Project" by Paul Harfleet... if there's any chance this artist may ever see or read this review? Sir, you made me cry. In a good way, of course.
I don't think I'll be able to see another pansy, again, without thinking of this story, and being reminded that some humans choose to replace ugliness with beauty.
In a larger sense, that's what these talented people are all doing.
I hope these actions spread... and I'm grateful to have been able to, at least, see them in a book.
"The Pansy Project" by Paul Harfleet... if there's any chance this artist may ever see or read this review? Sir, you made me cry. In a good way, of course.
I don't think I'll be able to see another pansy, again, without thinking of this story, and being reminded that some humans choose to replace ugliness with beauty.
In a larger sense, that's what these talented people are all doing.
I hope these actions spread... and I'm grateful to have been able to, at least, see them in a book.
May 15, 2019
Lots of fun to look through especially since I have seen yarnbombing in DesMoines, IA. I'd like to do some of this fun stuff in my own yard. I have tried to take pictures of miniatures set out in nature. Maybe next time I'll just leave them for someone else to find and enjoy. Come to think of it, I did lose a penguin in Yosemite. I hope someone else found him and set him on a nice outcropping of granite!
March 26, 2022
The artists who are featured in this book are undeniably talented and I appreciate how they want to make their work available to the masses. As Secret Sculptor (a paper artist from the UK) puts it, “It seems to me totally unjust that only those who can afford it should have access to culture.” While western countries (with the exception of South Africa) are well represented in this book, artists from other parts of the world are notably absent. Maybe a volume two is in order?
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October 4, 2024Nice sampling of different types of street art that goes beyond tagging or graffiti. Each artist gets four or five pages and you hear from them about what they are doing and why.
I really appreciated the last page that provides URLs to each artist's website.
My conclusion is that people around the world are talented and getting up to some cool stuff.
I really appreciated the last page that provides URLs to each artist's website.
My conclusion is that people around the world are talented and getting up to some cool stuff.
August 9, 2017
Gave me inspiration and motivation to continue my work.
October 8, 2019
Impressive street artists artwork on Urban Canvas.
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March 7, 2022Liked it alot. Should check out the artists webb pages.. especially misscrossstich, craftivist collective, ishknits, sliknachur.
February 11, 2015
I won Street Craft: Guerrilla Gardening, Yarnbombing, Light Graffiti, Street Sculpture, and More by Riikka Kuittinen from Goodreads.
Street Craft is a book that introduces readers to artwork and artists who place "uncommissioned" works of art in public places. Some of this art is placed to make a statement, some simply to add beauty to a neighborhood or neglected space. Many artists desire to create an interaction with the casual observer, perhaps a "light bulb moment" of understanding, or, at a minimum, to bring a smile to the observer's face.
This book is a quick read if not for the fascinating photographs of the amazing art which draw in the reader, creating a need to learn more about the artist and his work.
Physically, Street Craft has a textbook-like feel, as it should. Surely this is an art form worthy of serious study. These artists and their work reflect society: all its differences and commonality, its fears and dreams, the mundane and whimsical, life and death.
Street Craft is a perfect coffee table book, one to be constantly revisited and contemplated.
Street Craft is a book that introduces readers to artwork and artists who place "uncommissioned" works of art in public places. Some of this art is placed to make a statement, some simply to add beauty to a neighborhood or neglected space. Many artists desire to create an interaction with the casual observer, perhaps a "light bulb moment" of understanding, or, at a minimum, to bring a smile to the observer's face.
This book is a quick read if not for the fascinating photographs of the amazing art which draw in the reader, creating a need to learn more about the artist and his work.
Physically, Street Craft has a textbook-like feel, as it should. Surely this is an art form worthy of serious study. These artists and their work reflect society: all its differences and commonality, its fears and dreams, the mundane and whimsical, life and death.
Street Craft is a perfect coffee table book, one to be constantly revisited and contemplated.
April 17, 2015
My primary interest in street craft was yarnbombing, which seems to me to have the grassroots creativity of graffiti-- but without the icky property-defacing qualities. I was rather hoping for a book that offered instructions/patterns to propel me and my yarn stash toward that starkly undecorated signpost just outside my house.
This book was not that book.
However, it IS a collection of fascinating photos from all over the world, of freefloating urban art of many varieties. Entertaining, quirky, surprising.
I came by this book via Goodreads "giveaway," and thank you so much!
This book was not that book.
However, it IS a collection of fascinating photos from all over the world, of freefloating urban art of many varieties. Entertaining, quirky, surprising.
I came by this book via Goodreads "giveaway," and thank you so much!
January 30, 2016
A quick read that like many art books is more about the images that the scant text. Increasingly, there is art blended into the built landscape that makes one stop and go WTF. There is nothing more interesting than coming across graffiti or art juxtaposed within the more predictable environment that encourages deeper thought or just dresses up the ugly. This book introduces several artists and movements along with some of their works from across the globe that will lead me to seek more about some of them elsewhere.
May 29, 2015
What a neat book.It profiles many street artists, and like with any art, some of the work really appealed to me while others I didn't care for. I really liked the butterflies by Tasha Lewis, and the Mini Cross Stitch in Germany. The little people has always been a favorite as well. Maybe these appeal to me over paintings or other installations because they're not doing any damage to the area they are installed in, like a painting would do. The yarnbombing was fun to see also. There are really some creative people in the world!
February 20, 2015
What a beautiful beautiful book! Now all I need to do is learn to knit and/ or crochet. There is quite a lot of amazing street art here, but the yarnbombing is what sends me. The Wall Street bull covered in pink and purple camouflage is both funny and subversive and by an artist called Olek. She also covered a barn in crochet camouflage.
ARC through Goodreads, from the publisher Thames & Hudson rec’d ~2/7/15, Thank you Goodreads! Thank you Thames & Hudson!
ARC through Goodreads, from the publisher Thames & Hudson rec’d ~2/7/15, Thank you Goodreads! Thank you Thames & Hudson!
January 10, 2016
An interesting book on some of the more well known street crafters of the world. This book gives you a small insight into why these artists started some of their street exhibitions and where their love for this urban art stems from. This book was borrowed from a friend but I'm glad I read it, a very light but thought-provoking book.
July 10, 2016
A fantastic introduction to street art! A variety of types of street artists are highlighted through stunning images of their work. In addition, artist background info and links to their websites for further research are provided.
July 14, 2015
Picked this up at the library on a whim and found it very interesting. The layout, however, made it difficult to read as the captions most times are not on the same page as the corresponding photo. Artsy.
January 14, 2016
Really cool book! I have been a street art fan for a while, and this book introduced me to so many wonderful artists. I really appreciated hearing from the author about their work and getting some insights into it. If I had one complaint, it would be that this book ended!
July 3, 2016
These are nice little profiles of some of the artists doing interesting street art using yarn, moss, light and other non-traditional mediums. The photography is gorgeous and the art will make you smile, think, or both.
April 29, 2015
Lots of great inspiration in here- worth looking through.
November 29, 2015
Quick and easy to read. Good coffee table book. I think it was better that I borrowed from library than to purchase. Nice pictures.
January 1, 2025
Right up my alley. Fantastic group of work and artists. This is the movement that I love most and identify with most, so I loved coming across this book.
April 5, 2017
This is the type of street art that really resonates with me. Through this book, I explored each artist further. I enjoyed the playfyl tone of the book. It gave me some great ideas for making art of my own.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews