EINE STADT WIRD BUNT. Ausstellungskatalog

A museum takes a stand.Graffiti is as ephemeral as it is historical. It testifies to change and disappearance, but also to perpetuation and mindfulness. It is an expression of a (sub-)culture that is often characterized by protest. Graffiti documents developments in in the respective society and reflects their "zeitgeist" in a wide range of variations. However you look at graffiti today, it is not to be overlooked in our cities and on our walls. Some may be torn between rejection, acceptance and recognition of this form of expression, which has now evolved into its own form of art. What is certain is that graffiti has left its mark on the cityscape and in society and still does so - in Hamburg as well as in many other cities. The exhibition traces the emergence and growth of the graffiti scene in Hamburg, it shows how American hip-hop culture became at home in Hamburg. It documents how Hamburg, characterised by a grey atmosphere and post-war architecture, transformed into a colourful and diverse city that soon became one of the epicentres of the graffiti and hip-hop scene in Europe - alongside Paris, Amsterdam or Munich.The four writers Oliver Nebel, Frank Petering, Mirko Reisser and Andreas Timm have grown together in the context of this exhibition into a curatorial crew, without whose meticulous work and their own art pieces, without whose extensive contacts and countless collection objects this exhibition would never have been possible.I would like to thank the curators, Carolin Ngo and all other participants from the scene as well as from the museum for their commitment and support. No doubt about it: Among the exhibitions in the 100th anniversary year of the Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte will be "EINE STADT WIRD BUNT. Hamburg Graffiti History 1980 -1999" be a real burner!Prof. Bettina ProbstDirektorin Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte

FOREWORD
A CITY BECOMES COLOURFUL.
ALL CITY
WHERE SUBCULTURE CAN THRIVE
BATTLE OVER THE OCCUPIED HOUSES
THE BREAKDANCE WAVE
THE FIRST COLOURFUL LETTERS
GRAFFITI CONQUERS THE CITY
PORTRAIT OF A SUBCULTURE
A STUDENT GETS THE BALL ROLLING
FRIEND AND FOE
BREAKING ALL THE RULES
HOODIES, SNEAKERS, BASEBALL CAPS
JAMS, PARTIES, CLUBS
INTERVIEWS
BEHIND THE CURTAINS
EXIT THROUGH THE CITY
GLOSSARY
THE BOOK
IMPRINT