GRAFFITI BLACKBOOKS – BATES

The Copenhagen based writer BATES belongs to the first generation of European graffiti writers and started in 1984. Within a decade he became one of the most famous writers on the continent best known for his legible, well balanced and perfectly executed stylewriting pieces following the New York tradition. Celebrating 40 years of him piecing his name the brand new GRAFFITI BLACKBOOKS series opens with the first volume on the icon.

Since he was more likely present with pieces in magazines, books and later in the internet up to now his sketch archive was a well hidden treasure. Looking back he realized that although he left his marks around the globe what really stayed were his drafts.

„Most of the pieces I painted all over the world don’t exist anymore. They have been buffed, painted over, crossed out, or the walls and trains themselves are gone. But the sketches remain. They are the lasting traces of what I did, the only originals that still exist today.”

The 208-paged softcover includes countless scanned original outlines, sometimes added with a few colourful elements but mainly focusing on the style of the letters themselves and their pure outline. The variety of his style can be traced throughout the often heavily worn paper drawings that rarely are paired with the final outcome: full colour pieces on trains or walls.

“They’re not just drawings on paper – each one carries a story behind it. And even though we’re talking about thousands of them, I still remember most locations and what happened while painting, so yes, they are dear to me…”

An introduction by art historian Dr. Jacob Kimvall, quotes by close friends like GREAT or CAN2 as well as several statements by BATES himself round off the book to a entertaining insight into his four decade spanning practice of reshaping his name over and over again. For fans of traditional stylewriting this blackbook is a must-have.

208 pages, 21,1 x 29,7 cm, softcover with flaps
Language: English
ISBN: 978-3-912272-01-7
Release date: December 2025
Publisher: PUBLIKAT PRESS