the ESSENCE

The Dutch Graffiti Library became one of Europe’s most important institutions when it comes to the history, impact and aftermath of the graffiti and namewriting origins, especially in the Netherlands. With a 35 year past in collecting, archiving and researching the work of the team behind it has been acknowledged more in more by the recent years. In April 2026 the the ESSENCE exhibition at the Amsterdam STRAAT Museum launched a cooperative partnership for the next years.

The show which runs until 30th December 2026 does not show another chronic but instead the Library chose to curate selected works as snapshot-like spotlights, focusing important objects, acteurs or the aesthetics in general and so does the catalogue: it features photographs of LEE painting in Amsterdam in 1982, early punk graffiti tags, DELTA throw-ups on New York scrap trains in 1987 or Xerox copies which paved the way for stylewriting in Europe.

“This catalog presents a selection of works that highlight the intentions, codes, and foundations of graffiti and offer insights into its abstract and conceptual dimensions. It does not tell a chronological story and does not aim for completeness. Instead, a concentrated visual narrative is presented, in which graffiti is shown s a living, constantly evolving practice.”

the ESSENCE features works from AGAIN, ALIEN, ANDRE HZS, ANGEL, AWAY, BRUSH, DELTA, DSK, FIX, GASP, GAZZ, INFEXION, JAIYS, JEW, KRISIZ, LEE, PAGE3, RAMMELLZEE, RHONE (†), SEL, SHAKER179, SHAVE, SHOE, and others.

36 pages, 21 x 29,7 cm, softcover
Edition size: 300
Language: English
Release date: April 2026
Publisher: Dutch Graffiti Library and STRAAT Museum