The Worldwide Launch of the Graffiti Bible at a Danish Church

The definitive guide to making a start in graffiti launches at a fitting venue: a church in Aarhus, Denmark, home to its author Eske Touborg.
 

The Graffiti Bible was published at the end of November and the first few weeks of sales have been excellent. For novices it’s the perfect guide to all the basics you wanted to know about graffiti but were afraid to ask. And for the more experienced writer, the testimony of writers like Mickey TFP, MadC and Bates make for fascinating reading. To mark the release of such a monumental document, Author Eske Touborg hosted a party a venue suitable for his parables of painting: the Youth Church in Aarhus.
 

MTN News caught up with Eske to find out how the occasion unfolded.

How did you find the venue where you held the launch? 

I simply went into the church and asked them. I think that you can go along way when you approach people with an open mind, especially when you can imagine that they would also see the fun and potential in the idea!

Which artists took part in the event? 

We collaborated with local artists. We were also visited by Lars Pedersen, the curator of graffiti at the Roskilde festival since the 90’s, came down. He was my mentor on the project, making sure the results would be as good as possible.

Was it aimed at graffiti experts, rookies or both? 

Both! It was an open event in the middle of the city, so hundreds of people passed through. Even some homeless people came in, had a beer and tried to paint some graffiti before leaving again. It was an event that was meant to be as open and inclusive as possible - which is what i think the graffiti community should be!

How important was music to the jam? Who did you get to provide the soundtrack? 

I posted a question on Facebook asking who I should hire as a DJ for a hip-hop/graffiti book release and DJ FMD was tagged several times by different people so it was a no-brainer. We actually found out that we have several mutual friends since the hip-hop and graffiti scene in Denmark, and especially Aarhus, is small.

If you wrote the Graffiti Bible, does that make you an artistic apostle? 

Haha! Great question! I guess so, yes. I wish to spread the word of graffiti and what one can accomplish in life through it. 

I see myself as a mediator of graffiti, teaching people principles and theory. I know that i will not be world famous for my own graffiti style, but I’m super good at teaching and explaining and that is what I find joy in. I hope to inspire young - and older! - people to start painting and drawing graffiti. Letters are all around us and we use them everyday when we text, email or write a grocery list - why not try to experiment with them and put some art into everyday life?

What should be the ten commandments of graffiti, in your opinion? 

1. Practise your lettering
2. Practise your lettering
3. Respect people and where they came from
4. Try to see the best graffiti by other people to make you do the best graffiti yourself
5. Be exclusive but don’t exclude anyone
6. Find your own style through the inspiration of other people
7. Respect yourself and your own work!  
8. Don’t keep your knowledge to yourself. Become a teacher for everybody!
9. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
10. Forget all these commandments, theory and principles and have fun!

The Graffiti Bible is available now from graffiti suppliers worldwide including Spray Planet Spain, Stylefile, Run For Cover and Spray City. 

Images by EnDaze Photography