Toronto Graffiti - by Yvette Farkas (Paperback)

About the Book

A deep dive into Canada's underground graffiti scene with powerful sociopolitical commentary.

Book Synopsis

Toronto Graffiti: The Human Behind the Wall is a groundbreaking, 500+ page coffee table anthology that peels back the layers of one of the world's most misunderstood art forms-graffiti.

More than just a visual feast of 1,000+ full-color images, this book is a rare sociopolitical document that bridges art, anthropology, community activism, history, and raw human storytelling.

At the heart of the book are 21 precedent-setting interviews with Toronto graffiti writers-many speaking publicly for the first time-offering deeply personal accounts of their backgrounds, identities, influences, risks, and reflections on a culture long misrepresented and criminalized.

Spanning from the early 1980s to the ​2​000's, readers are taken on a vivid, often emotional journey through the rise of graffiti in Toronto-from hidden alleys to gallery walls to policy debates at City Hall.

Inside you'll find:

• Insightful opinion pieces from community voices, legal experts, and public health professionals
• Maps, timelines, and definitions contextualizing Toronto's graffiti scene
• A special "In Memoriam" tribute to fallen writers
• An entire section of evocative photography and documentation
• Exploration of graffiti's legal, social, and personal implications

Review Quotes

"The best book I've bought in years." - Amazon book review

"This book is an incredible account of Toronto graffiti history. It details authentic artist interviews, and stunning photographs of several different sites in Toronto. The book is very thoroughly-researched and thoughtfully presented. It features very interesting stories about the artists' lives." - Amazon book review

"It is an amazing book. Gives you a great insight into the Graffiti world. Would highly recommend it to everyone. Made me look at Graffiti with a different eye. A must read!" - Amazon book review

"As someone who documents street murals/wall art and street graffiti, I fully appreciate the difficulty involved in capturing these images before they are tagged or removed. Many books devoted to "Graffiti Art" give little background information on the under ground artists whose work is profiled.

What sets this fine publication apart from numerous other books hoping to cash in on this phenomenon is that Yvette Farkas has gone the extra mile to track down graffiti artists to tell their stories in their own words, and lavishly illustrated her book with colour illustrations and sketch book studies.

To add to the dialogue with artists, Farkas presents a chapter on "Legal Issues" pertaining to graffiti, "Health Matters" involved in dealing with spray painting, and "Detoxification Strategies," which further add to enhance the value of this work.

As a extra, a section entitled "Toronto Shots 1980 - 2010" rounds off this publication. Already in its second version, third printing, this anthology more than justifies its hefty price tag. Other Canadian cities have urban art that cries out to be documented as well as Farkas has done. Her exemplary work provides a framework on how to go about it!" - Amazon book review

"This is the most incredible compilation of photos and info I have ever seen. It is so well organized and very interesting to have the artist's perspective. With the city's campaign to cover up all of the work done by these artists, having this visual catalogue of photos is now priceless." - Amazon book review