Got Banksy fever? After a month of taking over the city, the British graffiti artist has left, but that doesn’t mean your street art fix needs to be over.
“Graffiti World” includes illustrations of street art from five different continents.
“Graffiti World: Street Art From Five Continents” by Nicholas Ganz (Harry N. Abrams)
This is the ultimate street art book. It boasts over 2,000 illustrations from artists all over the world, with explanations of what each one means. It also includes historical background, pointing out, for example, how graffiti first started in the 1960s in New York and Philadelphia before becoming part of the backdrop in virtually every major city in the world. Because the book has such a long list of well-respected street artists, you’ll be able to discover new artists to love and follow. Click here to buy.
“City As Canvas” celebrates artist Martin Wong’s work from the ’70s and ’80s.
“City As Canvas: New York Graffiti from the Martin Wong Collection” by Carlo McCormick and Sean Corcoran (Skira Rizzoli)
Get immersed in the work of another respected street artist, Martin Wong, whose graffiti art took over the streets of the East Village and Lower East Side in the ’70s and ’80s. Wong’s love for Asian paintings, American antiques, calligraphy and realism made his art one of a kind and continues to influence street artists today. Click here to buy.
Not just for hipsters. Channel your inner street artist with Aye Jay Morano’s new coloring book for people of all ages.
“Graffiti Art Coloring Book” by Aye Jay Morano (Chronicle Books)
If you admire the art but are completely hopeless with a spray can, stay inside the lines with “Graffiti Art Coloring Book.” The 30 images are based on real-life works of art, all by a different artist. Click here to buy.
Add some Banksy to your coffee table with his book, “Wall and Piece.”
“Wall and Piece” by Banksy (Random House UK)
This book is a few years old, but it’s still the best way to see Banksy’s best work all in one place. It showcases the artist’s work from the streets to his hijinks in the world’s most renowned museums, where he replaced paintings with his own art. Click here to buy.
