Cataloging Street Art Wendy Cullings, Tamara Kemp and Julia Martin LIS 653-03 Dr. Pattuelli

How do you describe this?

What’s a good MARC “500” notes field for this? Multi-colored writing in spray paint on wall with drip effects?

Cataloging Street Art in Institutions Faceted Classification System for Graffiti Art Styles

Graffiti art at the Brooklyn Museum of Art A typical label would be written like this: Subway Door Michael Tracy aka Tracy 168 American, born 1958 Spray paint on metal door, two-sided 74x20 1/2 in (1880 x 52.1 cm) 1999.57.21a-b Gift of Carrol Janus and Conrad Janus Of 50+ graffiti entries: classification is not assigned (40) classification is listed as 'Painting' (17) Not all categories are complete in TMS When untitled the fake title is either type or place as in Untitled Collage or Untitled Bronx pseudonyms are always given if the artist has one

A typical label would be written like this: Subway Door Michael Tracy aka Tracy 168 American, born 1958 Spray paint on metal door, two-sided 74x20 1/2 in (1880 x 52.1 cm)

1999.57.21a-b Gift of Carrol Janus and Conrad Janus

Of 50+ graffiti entries:

classification is not assigned (40)

classification is listed as 'Painting' (17)

Not all categories are complete in TMS

When untitled the fake title is either type or place as in Untitled Collage or Untitled Bronx

pseudonyms are always given if the artist has one

Graffiti Art Styles: a classification system and theoretical analysis by Lisa Gottlieb, 2008 “ This book describes the development of a faceted classification system for graffiti art styles designed to enable non-experts to identify the style of a graffiti art piece by distinguishing certain visual characteristics.”

Based on Panofsky’s theories of Iconography Working Model – tested by 30 catalogers 14 styles, 13 facets with 41 foci Styles, facets and foci developed with help of 11 experts (both practitioners and art historians) functionality follows the model of 2 classification systems: ICONCLASS and Karen Markey’s thematic catalog for Northern European artworks Notation (Code) Textual Correlate (Meaning) 25H1123 rock-formations 41A12 castle 47D31 windmill 73C7455 'house built upon a rock; house built upon sand' « doctrine of Christ on love, etc. (Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49)

Based on Panofsky’s theories of Iconography

Working Model – tested by 30 catalogers

14 styles, 13 facets with 41 foci

Styles, facets and foci developed with help of 11 experts (both practitioners and art historians)

functionality follows the model of 2 classification systems: ICONCLASS and Karen Markey’s thematic catalog for Northern European artworks

Faceted Classification System for Graffiti Art Styles Style Notation Style Name A1C2F3I5J2K2 Abstract A2B3H2I3L3M2 TFP (The Fantastic Partners crew) A3B1C2D1E1G1I2J2K1M1 Silvers A3C2D2E1F3G2H2M1 CTK (Crime Time Kings) A3G1H1I1J2K1L6M1 Pichador B2D2E1F3H2I3J1K1M1 Semi-wild B3D2E1F3G2H1I2J1K1L2M1 Los Angeles Cholo-based C2D2H3I2J2K2 Swedish Train D2E1H2I3J2L5M1 Neo Classic American Freight D2F3G2H3K1L2M1 East Coast Piecing Style D3E3F3H3J2K2M1 No-neg D4E2J2L1L2M1 Dimensional E1G1M1 Dortmund E1I5J1M1 Wild

Style Notation Style Name

A1C2F3I5J2K2 Abstract

A2B3H2I3L3M2 TFP (The Fantastic Partners crew)

A3B1C2D1E1G1I2J2K1M1 Silvers

A3C2D2E1F3G2H2M1 CTK (Crime Time Kings)

A3G1H1I1J2K1L6M1 Pichador

B2D2E1F3H2I3J1K1M1 Semi-wild

B3D2E1F3G2H1I2J1K1L2M1 Los Angeles Cholo-based

C2D2H3I2J2K2 Swedish Train

D2E1H2I3J2L5M1 Neo Classic American Freight

D2F3G2H3K1L2M1 East Coast Piecing Style

D3E3F3H3J2K2M1 No-neg

D4E2J2L1L2M1 Dimensional

E1G1M1 Dortmund

E1I5J1M1 Wild

Facets and Foci A. Legibility A1. Illegible A2. Partially Legible A3. Legible B. Number of Colors B1. 2 colors B2. At least 3 colors B3. At least 5 colors C. Symmetry C1. Symmetrical C2. Asymmetrical D. Dimensionality D1. 2-D D2. 2-D with 3-D effects D3. Relief Effect D4. 3-D E. Letter Outlines E1. Hard only E2. Implied E3. Interrupted E4. None F. Linearity F1. Curved only F2. Straight only F3. Curved and straight G . Letter Strokes G1. Uniform G2. Varied H. Negative Space H1. Exaggerated H2. Standard H3. Limited I. Letter Overlap I1. None I2. Minimal I3. Standard I4. Interlocking I5. Intertwined J . Use of Arrows J1. Integral J2. Not integral K. Letter Shape Consistency K1. Consistent K2. Inconsistent L. Fill Effects L1. Directional highlights L2. Fades L3. Fill shapes L4. Scrub fills L5. Shines L6. None M. Fill Consistency M1. Consistent M2. Inconsistent

A. Legibility

A1. Illegible

A2. Partially Legible

A3. Legible

B. Number of Colors

B1. 2 colors

B2. At least 3 colors

B3. At least 5 colors

C. Symmetry

C1. Symmetrical

C2. Asymmetrical

D. Dimensionality

D1. 2-D

D2. 2-D with 3-D effects

D3. Relief Effect

D4. 3-D

E. Letter Outlines

E1. Hard only

E2. Implied

E3. Interrupted

E4. None

Dortmund - E1G1M1 E1 = Hard Only Letter Outlines G1 = Uniform Letter Strokes M1 = Consistent Fill

E1 = Hard Only Letter Outlines

G1 = Uniform Letter Strokes

M1 = Consistent Fill

TFP (The Fantastic Partners crew) - A2B3H2I3L3M2 A2 = Partially Legible B3 = At least 5 colors H2 = Standard Negative Space I3 = Standard Letter Overlap L3 = Fill shapes M2 = Inconsistent Fill

A2 = Partially Legible

B3 = At least 5 colors

H2 = Standard Negative Space

I3 = Standard Letter Overlap

L3 = Fill shapes

M2 = Inconsistent Fill

The Vandal Squad Cataloging Graffiti as Vandalism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNyQKXCooSQ

Online Booking System Arrest Worksheet Not intended to catalog Not intended for art Focus Artist description (Perp.) Location Means Equiptment Patterns of behavior

Not intended to catalog

Not intended for art

Focus

Artist description (Perp.)

Location

Means

Equiptment

Patterns of behavior

Location of Offense/Arrest Info Time/Date/Address Exact Location Cross Streets/Intersection Corner: N/E;S/E;N/W;S/W Side of Bldg./Subway car Id # of subway car Is bldg property of nyc board of ed.? Jurisdiction Numbers of Associates

Time/Date/Address

Exact Location

Cross Streets/Intersection

Corner: N/E;S/E;N/W;S/W

Side of Bldg./Subway car

Id # of subway car

Is bldg property of nyc board of ed.?

Jurisdiction

Numbers of Associates

Arresting Officer Name/Rank/ID’s On Duty/In uniform Primary Assignment Force Used/type

Name/Rank/ID’s

On Duty/In uniform

Primary Assignment

Force Used/type

Defendant Information/Perpetrator Name/birth date Nickname/Alias Sex/Height/Weight/Race Eye color/Hair Color/Hair length/Citizenry Used Subway System/Time entered Statement made by perp during commission of offense Method of flight

Name/birth date

Nickname/Alias

Sex/Height/Weight/Race

Eye color/Hair Color/Hair length/Citizenry

Used Subway System/Time entered

Statement made by perp during commission of offense

Method of flight

Narrative Description of art Further description of details Might outline how the graffiti was discovered Might give timeline of interaction with artist

Description of art

Further description of details

Might outline how the graffiti was discovered

Might give timeline of interaction with artist

to release or not to release Legal information Unsolved cases Minors Photos taken against the artists will/without permission Art in public places Copyright? Graffiti as rebellion

Legal information

Unsolved cases

Minors

Photos taken against the artists will/without permission

Art in public places

Copyright?

Graffiti as rebellion

Cataloging Street Art on The World Wide Web

Street Art on the Web=Vast There are MANY sites that claim to be the best collections of Street Art photos on the web A lot of these sites are fairly useless in terms of cataloging, they simply house photos with no explanation, address, or even date indicating when the photo was taken An example of this is www.graffitiphotoposts.org

There are MANY sites that claim to be the best collections of Street Art photos on the web

A lot of these sites are fairly useless in terms of cataloging, they simply house photos with no explanation, address, or even date indicating when the photo was taken

An example of this is www.graffitiphotoposts.org

graffitiphotoposts.org

Photo Archives Other photo archives are more helpful as far as cataloging is concerned Artcrimes.com is a collaboratively run site where artists and civilians can submit photos of graffiti that they have taken. The “About Us” section of the site indicates that only the information that is known for sure about provenance is included.

Other photo archives are more helpful as far as cataloging is concerned

Artcrimes.com is a collaboratively run site where artists and civilians can submit photos of graffiti that they have taken.

The “About Us” section of the site indicates that only the information that is known for sure about provenance is included.

artcrimes.com www.artcrimes.com

http://www.artcrimes.com/index/usa.html

http://www.artcrimes.com/alabama/alabama_2.html

Pros A photo archive tends to have very high quality images Images are collected from all over the world Their system usually gives the visitor the name of the artist

A photo archive tends to have very high quality images

Images are collected from all over the world

Their system usually gives the visitor the name of the artist

Cons No context is given for the image Although the general location is given, no specific address is provided, meaning that someone who sees the image on the web would have no idea how to revisit it No date is provided for the image or art. Street Art and graffiti are often very time sensitive, dates are very important

No context is given for the image

Although the general location is given, no specific address is provided, meaning that someone who sees the image on the web would have no idea how to revisit it

No date is provided for the image or art.

Street Art and graffiti are often very time sensitive, dates are very important

Street Art Blogs There are MANY blogs that attempt to catalog and contextualize Street Art on the web As with most things on the internet, there are good examples of this, and very, very bad examples of this. Some good blogs: The Scenic Sidewalk ( www.thescenicsidewalk.wordpress.com ), Vandalog ( www.blog.vandalog.com ), Streetsy ( www.streetsy.com ), The Wooster Collective (www.woostercollective.com)

There are MANY blogs that attempt to catalog and contextualize Street Art on the web

As with most things on the internet, there are good examples of this, and very, very bad examples of this.

Some good blogs: The Scenic Sidewalk ( www.thescenicsidewalk.wordpress.com ), Vandalog ( www.blog.vandalog.com ), Streetsy ( www.streetsy.com ), The Wooster Collective (www.woostercollective.com)

www.thescenicsidewalk.wordpress.com

www.blog.vandalog.com

www.streetsy.com

www.woostercollective.com

The Best Blog By far, the best and most well-known blog for Street Art is the Wooster Collective Although attempts to talk to them directly failed, their classification system is apparent from their website Their archive is searchable by date, reaching back to January 2003, or category: 3D, activism, advertising, animation, art, artists in the media, best of 2005, billboard liberations, books, calls for entry, cardboard, catchin’ up with, chalk, city guides, collecting, craftism, crafts, crap, creative database, crimes, crowd art, culture jamming, diggin’, divider, education, environmental, essentials, event reports, events, Amsterdam,

By far, the best and most well-known blog for Street Art is the Wooster Collective

Although attempts to talk to them directly failed, their classification system is apparent from their website

Their archive is searchable by date, reaching back to January 2003, or category: 3D, activism, advertising, animation, art, artists in the media, best of 2005, billboard liberations, books, calls for entry, cardboard, catchin’ up with, chalk, city guides, collecting, craftism, crafts, crap, creative database, crimes, crowd art, culture jamming, diggin’, divider, education, environmental, essentials, event reports, events, Amsterdam,

… Atlanta, Barcelona, Berlin, Bologna, Chicago, Dublin, Eindhoven, Ghent, Leipzig, London, Los Angeles, Lyon, Manchester, Melbourne, Milan, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York, Paris, Portland, Rome, San Francisco, San Jose, Sao Paolo, Seattle, Shanghai, Sidney, Tokyo, Vancouver, Wasington, Fashion, Fences, Film, Five Tips, Fun, Galleries, Games, Geek Graffiti, Give Em’ Props!, Graffiti, Graffiti Projects, History, Holiday, How To…, Illustration, Interviews, Issues, Legal, Magazines, Maps, Marketing, Masthead, Mobile, Murals, Museums, Painting, Performance, Photography, Podcast, Politics, Print, Products, Projections, Roundtable, Sculpture, Site Announcements, Special Editions, Stencils, Stickers, Strange and Bizarre, Street Signs, Street Stencils, Technology, Terminology, Toys, Train Monikers, Trains, Travelogues, Travels, Tributes, Video, Vintage, Vitals, Walls, Websites, Wheatepastes, Wooster in the Media, Wooster on Paper, Wooster on Spring, Writings.

… Atlanta, Barcelona, Berlin, Bologna, Chicago, Dublin, Eindhoven, Ghent, Leipzig, London, Los Angeles, Lyon, Manchester, Melbourne, Milan, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York, Paris, Portland, Rome, San Francisco, San Jose, Sao Paolo, Seattle, Shanghai, Sidney, Tokyo, Vancouver, Wasington, Fashion, Fences, Film, Five Tips, Fun, Galleries, Games, Geek Graffiti, Give Em’ Props!, Graffiti, Graffiti Projects, History, Holiday, How To…, Illustration, Interviews, Issues, Legal, Magazines, Maps, Marketing, Masthead, Mobile, Murals, Museums, Painting, Performance, Photography, Podcast, Politics, Print, Products, Projections, Roundtable, Sculpture, Site Announcements, Special Editions, Stencils, Stickers, Strange and Bizarre, Street Signs, Street Stencils, Technology, Terminology, Toys, Train Monikers, Trains, Travelogues, Travels, Tributes, Video, Vintage, Vitals, Walls, Websites, Wheatepastes, Wooster in the Media, Wooster on Paper, Wooster on Spring, Writings.

Many Problems As you can see from this ridiculous list of categories, the Wooster Collective cataloging system has many problems. How it works: Someone uploads a blog entry, usually with photos, at the bottom of the entry the time of posting appears as well as the category it has been placed in. The date appears at the top. Their system presents several issues: While it is not the best way to catalog, they at least have a system, many other blogs list nothing other date and maybe location of the work. Also from the diverse list of categories, it is obvious that a traditional cataloging system would not be the answer for Street Art.

As you can see from this ridiculous list of categories, the Wooster Collective cataloging system has many problems.

How it works: Someone uploads a blog entry, usually with photos, at the bottom of the entry the time of posting appears as well as the category it has been placed in. The date appears at the top.

Their system presents several issues: While it is not the best way to catalog, they at least have a system, many other blogs list nothing other date and maybe location of the work. Also from the diverse list of categories, it is obvious that a traditional cataloging system would not be the answer for Street Art.

The Best Street Art Website. The best site on the web to catalog street art is www.streetartlocator.com Streetartlocator uses an interactive map to pinpoint the location of Street Art worldwide The site also classifies things by category and assigns a color to each different category The categories are: Graffiti, Gallery, Painting, Stickers, Stencil, Sculpture, and Installation Clicking on the tags on the map brings up a photo of the Street Art as well as the relevant information (artist, location, medium, etc.)

The best site on the web to catalog street art is www.streetartlocator.com

Streetartlocator uses an interactive map to pinpoint the location of Street Art worldwide

The site also classifies things by category and assigns a color to each different category

The categories are: Graffiti, Gallery, Painting, Stickers, Stencil, Sculpture, and Installation

Clicking on the tags on the map brings up a photo of the Street Art as well as the relevant information (artist, location, medium, etc.)

Web 2.0 Users generate the content by logging on, uploading photos, and filling in pertinent information about their street art or images of street art The site is also fully searchable by either location or description and title There is also a blog with artist interviews and street art events The site is unique in that it covers all aspects of the street art world, from graffiti to galleries

Users generate the content by logging on, uploading photos, and filling in pertinent information about their street art or images of street art

The site is also fully searchable by either location or description and title

There is also a blog with artist interviews and street art events

The site is unique in that it covers all aspects of the street art world, from graffiti to galleries

www.streetartlocator.com

http://www.streetartlocator.com/comment.php?location=826

http://www.streetartlocator.com/profile.php

Problems with the Web Like everything on the internet, pictures and catalogs of Street Art are only as good as the people who maintain them If pictures are incorrectly labeled or attributed, there is no one to check the facts Online archives are as impermanent as the Street Art itself The solution to this problem is still unknown

Like everything on the internet, pictures and catalogs of Street Art are only as good as the people who maintain them

If pictures are incorrectly labeled or attributed, there is no one to check the facts

Online archives are as impermanent as the Street Art itself

The solution to this problem is still unknown

Bibliography Archive. (date unknown). Retrieved May 3, 2009, from Graffiti Photos website: http://graffiti.photoposts.org/index.php?x=browse&pagenum=1 Art Crimes: The Writing on the Wall. (1994-2009). Retrieved May 3, 2009, from Art Crimes: The Writing on the Wall website: http://www.artcrimes.com/index.html Bark, Sandra. (2009). The Scenic Sidewalk. Retrieved May 3, 2009, from The Scenic Sidewalk: A Catalog of Street Art website: http://thescenicsidewalk.wordpress.com/ Dobkin, Jake. (2009). Streetsy. Retrieved May 3, 2009, from Streetsy: Daily Street Art Photography website: http://streetsy.com/ Gallagher, Brian Thomas (2006, February 24) Spray My Name, Spray My Name, This American Life Podcast Retrieved at: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1121 Gottlieb, L. (2008). Graffiti Art Styles : a classification system and theoretical analysis. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. “ Handselecta” (contributor) (2007, February 15) ”Vandal Squad”, (Audio) Spray My Name, Spray MY Name , This American Life Podcast Retrieved at : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNyQKXCooSQ Home. (2009). Retrieved May 3, 2009, from Street Art Locator website: http://www.streetartlocator.com/index.php .

Archive. (date unknown). Retrieved May 3, 2009, from Graffiti Photos website: http://graffiti.photoposts.org/index.php?x=browse&pagenum=1

Art Crimes: The Writing on the Wall. (1994-2009). Retrieved May 3, 2009, from Art Crimes: The Writing on the Wall website: http://www.artcrimes.com/index.html

Bark, Sandra. (2009). The Scenic Sidewalk. Retrieved May 3, 2009, from The Scenic Sidewalk: A Catalog of Street Art website: http://thescenicsidewalk.wordpress.com/

Dobkin, Jake. (2009). Streetsy. Retrieved May 3, 2009, from Streetsy: Daily Street Art Photography website: http://streetsy.com/

Gallagher, Brian Thomas (2006, February 24) Spray My Name, Spray My Name, This American Life Podcast Retrieved at: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1121

Gottlieb, L. (2008). Graffiti Art Styles : a classification system and theoretical analysis. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland.

“ Handselecta” (contributor) (2007, February 15) ”Vandal Squad”, (Audio) Spray My Name, Spray MY Name , This American Life Podcast Retrieved at : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNyQKXCooSQ

Home. (2009). Retrieved May 3, 2009, from Street Art Locator website: http://www.streetartlocator.com/index.php .

Bibliography cont. IRDG. (2008). Iconclass Illustrated Libertas Edition. Retrieved May 4, 2009 from Web site: http://www.iconclass.nl/libertas/ic?style=index.xsl Keough, B. (2002). Documenting diversity: developing special collections of underdocumented groups. Library Collections, Acquisitions, & Technical Services 26, 241-251. Retrieved through WilsonWeb database. Martin, Christopher (Public Defender) personal communication. April 30, 2009 Masilamani, R. (2008). Documenting Illegal Art: Collaborative Software, Online Environments and New York City’s 1970s and 1980s Graffiti Art Movement. Art Documentation 27 (2), 4-14. Retrieved through WilsonWeb database. Rivera, J. (2008). Vandal squad: Inside the New York City Transit Police Department, 1984-2004 . Brooklyn, NY: PowerHouse Books. RKD. (n.d.). Iconclass Official Homepage. Retrieved May 4, 2009 from Iconclass Web site: http://www.iconclass.nl/index.html Rushmore, Michael “RJ”. (2009). Blog Home. Retrieved May 3, 2009, from Vandalog website: http://blog.vandalog.com/ Wooster Collective. (2009). Retrieved May 3, 2009, from Wooster Collective website: http://www.woostercollective.com/

IRDG. (2008). Iconclass Illustrated Libertas Edition. Retrieved May 4, 2009 from Web site: http://www.iconclass.nl/libertas/ic?style=index.xsl

Keough, B. (2002). Documenting diversity: developing special collections of underdocumented groups. Library Collections, Acquisitions, & Technical Services 26, 241-251. Retrieved through WilsonWeb database.

Martin, Christopher (Public Defender) personal communication. April 30, 2009

Masilamani, R. (2008). Documenting Illegal Art: Collaborative Software, Online Environments and New York City’s 1970s and 1980s Graffiti Art Movement. Art Documentation 27 (2), 4-14. Retrieved through WilsonWeb database.

Rivera, J. (2008). Vandal squad: Inside the New York City Transit Police Department, 1984-2004 . Brooklyn, NY: PowerHouse Books.

RKD. (n.d.). Iconclass Official Homepage. Retrieved May 4, 2009 from Iconclass Web site: http://www.iconclass.nl/index.html

Rushmore, Michael “RJ”. (2009). Blog Home. Retrieved May 3, 2009, from Vandalog website: http://blog.vandalog.com/

Wooster Collective. (2009). Retrieved May 3, 2009, from Wooster Collective website: http://www.woostercollective.com/