Futura (ISBN 1861541341)

Book Description:
Futura is more than an artist; he is a living legend. Over three decades he has been bringing the visual language of hip-hop and the street to a worldwide audience-first through his New York graffiti from the 1970s, then through his 1990s cover art for London-based record label MoWax, and recently through comics, animation, photography, multimedia and clothing. Now he has produced his first book. Think sketchbook, confessional, photo album and archive-not just an overview but an extension of his work. He tells his enthralling story in his own words-some handwritten-while the flow of images, chosen both from his massive archive and work-in-progress, show he has developed his highly personal language of values and storytelling in many media. Be prepared to be gripped by Futura's story, moved by his ideals and inspired by his art. And count yourself lucky that you can now buy an original! Futura is one of the most respected members of the global street-art community. Central to the mid-1980s New York graffiti art movement, he re-emerged in Paris in the 1990s and since then has toured exhibitions across Europe, Japan, Australia and the US. He created the cover art for the 1998 gold-selling album UNKLE, has designed for street fashion-labels, and has run his own web-site and workshops for inner-city kids. Futura is cover artist for award-winning label MoWax and clothing designer for GFS, Agnes B., Project Dragon and The Bathing Ape He has exhibited in London, Tokyo, Paris, New York, Los Angeles

"The Definitive Underground Graf-Designer.":
This book is so wonderful. It really captures the variances over the years in Futura2000's work. The most special, a personal side to the private man in the shadows of so many of the Greatest Designs (Mo'Wax, Bathing Ape, BSF, as well as his website! etc.) of the 1990's. I find this much more fulfilling than that of say, "Scrawl" an odd book that Many of the Artists contained, (i.e. Dj Shadow and Phil Frost) have claimed to have not known their words nor their artwork were to be printed. That has left "Scrawl" to feel quite the "exploited" book of artists rather than the Futura book, which Futura himself is quite proud. Futura2000 reveals his thoroughly detailed eye and hands on project through the collective pieces of his work and personal notes and background to his book "Futura." (You'll respect it right down to the paper and binding choices.) This one's the real gem of all the books put out around this 1990's; "Who's Who, Definitive Underground Graf-Designer."

Waste of Money:
I returned this book right after I received it. The pieces are sparse, and don't reflect what Futura is known for -- the graf history that he's a part of. If you want a real book worth your money, check out 'Dondi White'. It is filled with pieces that Dondi did along with the sketches that preceeded them. It also contains artwork he has done for the gallery setting and is a much better designed book in general. In all fairness, 'FUTURA' does try to get innovative with some of the paper-cutting techniques and material, but that kind of experimentation should be done at the artists' own time and not at the expense of the consumer. I give it one star above horrible.

Compliments on a great complement:
If you know his website, you're familiar with his ways of putting things. However, in general: words / design is stuff you want to be able to touch, have within reach, own - isn't it? I would say the book is a perfect complement to all the web pages, consisting of lots of older not yet seen work for us who weren't there, some best-of's that's also on the web, plus I feel he's allowed himself to be more autobiographical & within reach than perhaps he is with his online thoughts. Futura makes us interested in the tiniest of details.

Is this love?:
Futura... the book. Let's just say... I've been seduced. It's AMaZinG!

Is this love?:
Futura... The Book. Let's just say... I've been seduced. It's AmAZinG!