ODEM: ON THE RUN

Eine Jugend in der Graffiti-Szene / A youth in the graffiti scene

ODEM: ON THE RUN is an absolute classic in German graffiti publications. When it was released in March 1997 it was the first authentic insight into the life of a graffiti writer: the Berlin based stylewriter ODEM (†) who passed away in 2016. Together with the journalist Jürgen Deppe he did write down the story on his rise and fall in the Berlin scene within a decade.

The book which only includes round about 20 pieces and sketches is more focused on ODEM’s experiences and how he became one of the best writers from the German capital. From his late 80s start as SORVI/SORSIX the book allows to follow him along iconic events like the 1991 ONE MORE TIME wholecar invasion in East Berlin, his entry into the SOS crew, travels to Dortmund, London, Amsterdam and New York, to establishing himself as local style king with his STYLISM MISSION.

While after its release many mentioned writers accused him of lying and betrayal the content made its influence as real and unembellished view on the 90s local scene. Featured writers are POET, AMOK, BUS126, PHOS4, KAOS, MAXIM, SOME, INKA, KAGE, MORE, SHEK, BISAZ, LAZER, LOOMIT, ROC, SICK/WESP, Adrian Nabi, LOVER, NECO, MIGEL, SNOR, KAZIM, and many more.

Although the 344-paged softcover has a controversial status to this day it is a great testimony of this era of the Berlin graffiti scene. This fifth print run of ODEM’s autobiography includes an additional afterword by Jürgen Deppe.

344 pages, 12,6 x 19,1 cm, softcover
Language: German
Editors: Jürgen Deppe & ODEM
Release date: 2015 (1997)
ISBN: 978-3-86265-478-9
Publisher: Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf