Beyond the Street Book

Street art has established itself as an integral part of the art world in the last few years. The crossover from subculture to high culture is illustrated by the recent attention that this work has been given by renowned institutions such as the Tate Modern and Fondation Cartier as well as by auction houses like Sotheby’s. The topic is discussed in art magazines and the cultural pages of leading newspapers and is featured in the syllabuses of art and design schools. As interest soared, the need for information about street art grew. But, until now, there was no insightful view into the thought and work processes of a reticent, heterogeneous scene whose would-be members often don’t even identify with the label.

Comprised of interviews with 100 key players from around the world, Beyond the Street offers a comprehensive examination of street and urban art. Insiders Patrick Nguyen and Stuart Mackenzie question each of their subjects on every conceivable aspect of the genre from the past to the future, from the artists ideals to their daily lives, from working in complete freedom to working in the art and commercial worlds. The thought-provoking range of answers make the 400-page book an incomparably extensive source of direct, unfiltered information.

Beyond the Street features interviews with leading artists such as Shepard
Fairey, Swoon, and Os Gemeos. The book also offers the views of representatives of the most important sales outlets for street art including Deitch Projects and Jonathan LeVine Gallery. In addition, curators from auction houses such as Christies and Phillips de Pury comment on the development of street art in a
classical art context. Interviews with key commentators, collectors, and enthusiasts such as Martha Cooper, Wooster Collective, and Agnes B. provide further insight. Brought together, these separate and distinct perspectives create a uniquely authentic collective portrait of street and urban art that is captivating,
informative, and entertaining.

Each interview in Beyond the Street is richly illustrated with photographs of an
inspiring collection of work. In addition to presenting outdoor work, the book
also features the pieces that the artists have created for exhibitions and other indoor spaces. The commercial aspect of the street art movement is rigorously documented for the first time. Among the photographs featured are a number of images of the artists studios or the artists themselves at work, providing a rare glimpse into their methods and environments.

Beyond the Street is now available through Amazon.com as a pre-order, with a release set for April 26th, 2010.