Theory of Style: The Liberation of the Alphabet

96 pages
Edited by Cheech H, Techno 169 (Stone) and Scum (Cemnoz)
Foreword by Don Karl a.k.a. Techno 169
Designed by Smal (Mirko Borsche)
14 x 21 cm 
Language: English
Hardback
Publisher: Hitzerot
2024

Theorie des Style was a book which originally got published to the occasion of the A Tribute to Style exhibition near Munich in 1996. 13 years after graffiti writing travelled from New York to the world Munich was one of the metropolises of stylewriting. CHEECH H and TECHNO169 (STONE), both writers from the first generation, did exchange letters and thoughts on style already for years at that point. Together with SCUM (CEMNOZ) they published the first in-depth analysis of letter forms, stylewriting, and its origins.

Today stylewriting still is an important genre within graffiti, practiced by thousands of writers worldwide. Although techniques may have developed further, designing the 26 letters of the alphabet following the New York traditions still is the foundation to most writers’ pieces. The analytic content did not lose any of its importance so making it available again some 30 years later seems absolutely legit.

The authentic 90s layout by SMAL (Mirko Borsche) as well as the content was left almost untouched, apart from minor corrections. To keep the original aesthetics also the translation was not just added, but made as a separated book so the content is now available in English for the very first time. We are especially happy to republish this long sold out classic as a high quality hardcover including an additional retrospective insert written by TECHNO169 (STONE).