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SOME MELBOURNE HISTORY
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About Graffiti Photofreaks :
Graffiti Photofreaks was made to showcase old school Melbourne graffiti. Our photo's vary from 1985 and 2000, but the majority is late 80's and early 90's. You will find old school everywhere through out Graffiti Photofreaks. I hope you enjoy the site, and i am happy about any feed back you may have about Graffiti Photofreaks.
Graffiti History :
It was in the early 80's that melbourne was introduced to graffiti art with inspirational classic b-boy movies such as 'BeatStreet', 'Wildstyle', eventually the documentry 'Stylewars' and the classic books 'Subway Art' and 'Spraycan Art'. As soon as the book 'Subway Art' hit the shelves in 1984, Graffiti really took off and created the Melbourne graffiti scene.
One of the first Melbourne writers was 'Grand Sorcerer Thirty-Eight' aka 'GS 38' starting in 1983 followed by his crew 'Future Four' and then other early crews such as USA - United Subway Artists and NHA Nations Hot Artists. As the mid 80's progressed, so did the graffiti scene with crews and artists emerging that would become Melbournes best.
Some of the ground breaking crews are : Future Four, USA - United Subway Artists, NHA - Nations Hot Artists, 156 Crew, C2F - Claim 2 Fame, DMA - Da Mad Artists, AC - All City, AKA - Also Known As, CR - Constantly Rocking, IFE - In Full Effect, RDC - Rock Da City and WCA - Wild Child Artists.
Some of the ground breaking artists were : New 2, Tame, Duel, Puzle, Prins, Merda, Ransom, Aim, Amaze, Hugh Dunnit, Peril, Paris, Plot, Sena, Kem, Duet, Note, Awesome, Saipan, Mist , Idsme, Worm, Dskiz, Zane Bug, Catch, Bondi, Taxi, Krisy, Jive, Lemon ,(theres just to many to name).
In the late 80's Graffiti started to peak. All though starting in the early 80's, in 1987 Merda, Duel and Ransom were before there time by doing 3d lettering and wild styles that no-one in Australia (or the world) had really seen, they were on something big. Even Germanys great artists like Daim hadnt even started graffiti until 1991, and Delta had only just started doing 3d letters in the early 90s. By 1988 Merda was getting international recognition and was featuring in international magazines such as International Graffiti Times '88' (New York) and got a very good review from Phase 2. Around 1989 Duel was in contact with some Germany writers such as 'Scum' FBI and sent him some Duel, Merda and Ransom pics and outlines. 'Scum' from Germany wrote to Duel about Merda's new 3d lettering and how it was different and that they were trying it. So you could say Merda played a big part in the introduction of the 3d style lettering to the world.
In 1989 Australia saw the first issue of 'Hype' magazine hit the shelves, an all Australian graffiti magazine that was dedicated to b-boying and graffiti. There was also the magazine 'Vapors' which was released in 1988 and in black and white but still a great mag. By now Melbourne graffiti was at its all time high and continued to do so until 1992 when a major graffiti crackdown by the 'The Met' public transport corporation and local government was put in to play.
Some of the new crews in the late 80's-early 90's were : EMB - East Malvern Boys, STR - Stands To Reason, MSA - Melbourne Suicidal Artists, KSA - Kicken Some Ass, ESP - Eternal Subway Power, CW - Crime Wave, CKA - Cold Kicken Ass, PBA - Plenty Bad Apples, TFA - The Fantasy Art, FMC - Fresh Mess Crew, MKA - Mad Kapped Art, DBR - Dreams Beyond Reality, ADN - All Dope Networks, PBP - Puffing Billy Posse, JSB - Juvenile Style Brothers, MJP - Mount Jung Posse and CI - Crims Insane.
The 'Met' crackdown started in 1990-91 wich consisted of slowly bringing in video surveillance of all railway stations, a graffiti clean up gang was formed, they doubled the number of train graffiti cleaners from 15 to 30, vandal-proof surfaces, fittings and finishes were introduced, Security in train yards was improved and closed circuit television was used, and the Transit Police numbers were increased from 220 to 400.
That by no means stopped graffiti in Melbourne it just made it harder and more of a risk.
Melbourne has also lost its share of graffiti artists.......
R.I.P - Bulk, Bye Mjp, Pace aka P135, Ten, Nab, Hobit, Akwar, Topic, Pety, When, Junior,Trigger, Crock, Swerve and Trashem......
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