Returning to the medium of graffiti, he continued a dialogue with the public
he started over a decade before. Graffiti in his hands goes beyond a name to using
Madison Avenue marketing strategies to sell concepts instead of consumption.
He also renders moot some anti-graffiti arguments with the Exterior Surface Painting
Outreach, a style of graffiti that cleans up roll down gates while promoting the name
ESPO.
Regardless of the tactic taken, ESPO is a brand name that stands for quality
communication without permission.
The Art of Getting Over (St. Martin’s Press 1999) is the culmination of Stephen Powers 13 years of graffiti experience. More than pretty pictures, the book tells the stories of several writers, creating a compelling depiction of the illicit expression. Having done enough on the outside, He comes in from the
cold and returns to the gallery scene in the Spring of 2000. The show at the prestigious ICA in Philadelphia is with co-conspirators REAS and TWIST. The installation is underwritten by the PEW Charitable Trusts, and promises to be both luxurious and dangerous. Shop around, but I guarantee you won’t find better quality at a lower price.
Introduction to The Art Of Getting Over
If you ever walked down the street
and wondered what a marking meant, I’ll tell you; It means somebody is telling
you a story about who they are, and what they are prepared to do to make you
aware of it. Everytime a name is written, a story gets told. Its a short
story; “I was here”. Depending on who is telling it and where they are telling
it will determine how the story ends. Some stories will be adventures, some
tragedies, and some courtroom depositions. But every single one has a star, a
stage and an audience. That’s all a growing youth needs to have fun.
