Copenhagen Streetart - my book

Update: 2008-12-16

I've got around 1,400 photos on my big list for inclusion and will narrow it down to some hundreds.

The book now has it's own flickr account: Book flickr.

Use this account to follow the progress of the project. You may also comment and offer opinions and feedback along the way, and that way have a say in the final outcome of the book.

Contact? All inquiries should be directed at the flickr page mentioned above. Thanks.

See the photos

Just click here to see all my street art photos.

Not all of these will be in the book, as there are just too many.

Questions & Answers

Please send questions and comments to me on flickr and I'll update the list.

When was this information last updated?

2007-07-02 19:26 CET

When was this information first published?

2007-04-01 22:51 CET

What will be in the book?

Photos. Very little text, perhaps no text at all. I will do a maximum of 1,000 good photos before I make the book.

What kind of photos?

Stickers, pasteups, stencils, graffiti. And some "objects" too (street sculpture).

How many photos?

I don't know yet. The more photos in the book, the more it will cost. But it's not going to be a booklet. It will be a real book.

Why Copenhagen?

I live there, that's why. I'm out in the streets almost every day with my camera, and I see lots of street art. I know that lots of other cities have great street art, but I'm just not there... yet. I may visit some day.

Why Street Art?

You have to see this book as a tribute. People out there in the streets spend countless hours -- even money -- on producing free artistic experiences for you. Gifts. Donations to anyone who cares to observe. The street artists invest time and money, and then give it away not knowing who will see it, or even for how long it will exist.

Street art will often disappear quickly, and even if it does not it is still bound to one specific place. So, if you're not at the right place at the right time chances are that you will never see it. A book of photos makes it possible for more people to see the individual art pieces.

Also, even if you are at the right place at the right time, chances are that you may not notice it anyway. The nature of street art is such that that you may pass it by entirely without noticing it. You need to be actively looking for it to notice, otherwise you will only see it by chance. A book will help by making more people aware that there is such a thing as stret art, and by giving them clues as to what it might look like.

What's the definition of street art?

I can't really give a definition apart from: "Artistic expression in public areas" But then, what's public, and what's artistic anyway? I'm not trying to be a judge of what's street art or not, or what's good or bad street art. I collect examples that I show in my book, and I know that for each single example I've got -- even if I have more than anyone else -- there may easily be 10, 100, or 100,000 that I haven't even seen.

How do you spot the street art?

I'm out there on the street with the street artists. I'm curious, I use my eyes, and I get around a lot. Perhaps I'm even in the same place you are, yet I see something you don't. I care, and I notice.

Can I see examples?

Yes of course - in fact you may see every single photo. The lot! Just follow the links in the top right corner of this page (the ones with numbers "1-200", "200-400" and so on).

Who will be in it?

Well, you, of course. Potentially. If you do something in the street that has an edge somehow, and I see it and get a chance to get a good photo of it, then you're in.

What's "an edge somehow" ?

Something that makes the street a better experience.

Look at my street art folders on flickr to get an indication, or look at this folder as I build it. Really, this question is impossible to answer. If I have a good photo of it and think "that piece must be in the book" then it's in.

So, will it be good photos or good streetart?

It will be streetart. I will require that I have a good photo, but I will not include a good "streetart related photo" if the photo does not include streetart.

Ie. A great shot of cans with no artwork will not make it to the book. A lousy shot of the finest street art piece in the whole city will not make it to the book. And so on.

Can you get in more than once?

Yes of course. But only with different pieces.

Who will NOT be in it?

I try to avoid band stickers, brand label stickers, "just tags", unfinished work, paid murals, commercial street art, big name artists, etc etc. I'll do my best - but then I really don't like to put up too many limitations in advance.

Is it Danish artists only?

No. It is Street Art in Copenhagen. We have artists from many places visiting and creating art in the streets, sticker trades across borders, and cross border collaborations as well.

The book will be limited to Copenhagen, and to the year 2007. Just like the street art that is in it. So, if the piece is visible in Copenhagen in 2007 it may become part of the book -- no matter who made it.

Will it cost a fortune?

Right now I don't know the price. It will cost me money to produce the book, and I don't think I can sell it for anything less than I've paid to produce it.

It is intended as a tribute to Street Art. So, it should be great. I will try to make it real good quality. Hardcover, nice large size, and lots of pages with big pictures. But then... that's pretty expensive.

I'll try to find a way to make a cheap version as well - I know that lots of folks that would love the book don't have lots of money. If you've got any ideas, please contact me on flickr.

Will it be published and sold in bookstores?

Right now I don't know. But I will find a way to get it to the people that want it.

When and where can I get it?

It will probably be sold from this page or some other internet page first, as I don't have a deal with any bookstores. I have no time to do deals, I'm busy making great photos.

I'll tell you more right here on this page as soon as I know more. Stay tuned.

I'd like to pre-order right now!

Okay, drop me a note on flickr. That would be nice as it gives me an idea about how many copies I'll need to do. Of course if it turns out to cost a fortune because it's 1,000 pages or whatever, then you don't have to buy it.