The Faith of Graffiti

The Faith of Graffiti is a 1974 essay-turned-book by Norman Mailer that documents and analyzes New York City's graffiti culture. The work features 81 photographs by Jon Naar and design by Mervyn Kurlansky, combining visual and textual elements to present graffiti as a legitimate art form. Mailer approaches the subject through his persona as an "Aesthetic Investigator," conducting interviews with graffiti artists and exploring their world during a period of significant urban decay in New York City. The book emerged during a time of social upheaval, when the city faced strikes, municipal service cuts, and widespread infrastructure deterioration. Through his examination of graffiti culture, Mailer connects this street art movement to broader artistic traditions and explores its political significance. His analysis frames graffiti as an expression of rebellion against societal constraints and a creative response to urban crisis, positioning it within his philosophy of hip existentialism.

Readers call this 1974 photo book groundbreaking for legitimizing graffiti as an art form through Mailer's essay and Jon Naar's photography. Many note it captures a specific moment in New York street art history. Readers praise: - Raw documentation of early graffiti before commercialization - High quality of Naar's photos showing full train cars - Mailer's attempt to understand graffiti culture as an outsider - Historical value as one of the first serious books on the topic Common critiques: - Mailer's writing feels pretentious and dated - Text focuses more on Mailer's opinions than the artists - Limited context about the actual graffiti writers - Print quality in some editions doesn't do justice to photos Ratings: Goodreads: 4.17/5 (190 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (31 ratings) Multiple reviewers note the book's high resale value, with used copies selling for hundreds of dollars.

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🎯 The book launched Jon Naar's photography career - before this project, he was working in corporate communications at IBM, and this was his first major photographic assignment. 📚 Norman Mailer faced significant criticism for legitimizing graffiti through this book, with some critics accusing him of glorifying vandalism and urban decay. 🎨 The term "Faith of Graffiti" was inspired by graffiti artist CAY 161, who told Mailer that writing graffiti was like a religion to him. 🗽 The project was initially commissioned by Esquire Magazine but grew too large for a single article, leading to its publication as a full book in 1974. 📷 The photographs were all taken within just two weeks in December 1973, capturing an extensive documentation of early New York City graffiti culture before many iconic pieces were painted over.