Fashion and Graffiti in America

I have been in love with the street art style of  graffiti all my life.  I have never seen graffiti as some nuisance that bad teenagers took part in.  I have always seen the art as beauty echoed from the soul of the creator. 

Fashion has always been a lover of mine.  Growing up my family knew I was going to do something in art, and most thought I was going to be a fashion designer.  I loved clothes.  An illness passed on to me through both of my parents.  I would go through both my mom and dad’s clothes and wear what they had to school.  I would steal my father’s oversized plaid shirts.  I would cut up my mom old Levi’s jeans into denim shorts.  This all started at the age of eight.  I did this because I always saw fashion as moving art.

Photography has been a passion since the day I could remember.  During high school my photojournalism teacher said the difference between me and all the other students is that I saw photography as art. 

For years I loved these three elements of art, but it wasn’t until this past January where my 16 year old foreign exchange student suggested that I actually make this my signature type of photography.  She loved that fact that I could combine the elements of graffiti and fashion without taking anything away from either one of these art forms.  

The Project

I love the element of fashion (especially high fashion) with the element of street art.  I want to create a coffee table photography book that brings together fashion and graffiti.  I will visit a list of major cities on the during a three month’s span and shoot graffiti walls and models.  I will do this with the help of designers, stylist, and MUA (make up artist).  My photography is best when executed guerilla style.  I hate having a set and structured plan while shooting.  I feel as though art is manifested organically while in the moment.

I will shoot in rain, sleet, or snow… but seeing how this will be done during the summer of 2012.  Let’s just say I will be doing this in extreme heat.  I’m in Texas so that won’t be too difficult.

 

The Plan

I plan to shoot in these following cities:

• Dallas
• Houston
• Miami
• Atlanta
• Venice Beach
• New York
• Philadelphia
• Chicago
• Las Vegas

 

I have chosen these cities because I have family members or friends that live in them, or I have already been there and familiarize myself with the area.  Shooting in major cities where I have family and friends helps with the financial aspect of this project significantly. 

Also, to cut cost I’m going to ask models and emerging fashion designers to help out with this project by offering their services for free.  MUA are really hard to come by, especially the good ones, so they will still need to be paid.  I feel this would be good for new talent designers and models because they get to have their work published.

I plan to create a 60-80 page photography book that highlights some of the best graffiti and styling in each of these major metropolitan cities.

If models, designers, stylist, gallery owners’, directors, or curators would like to help with this project please feel free to donate and/or contact me.  I am so easy to talk to and open to ideas. 

The Cost

The majority of the money will go for the cost of travelling to these actual cities.  Though I have friends or family member that live in most of these areas it will still cost a pretty penny to travel to them.  The funds will also be allocated towards camera equipment, food, and going into the cost of helping publish this piece. 

I plan to travel during from July-September 2012.  I want to try and have this piece published in the first quarter of 2013.

Please take the time to donate to this project.  I will appreciate every single dollar that goes to this mission.  Every single last cent will be used to create the best quality book I can make. 

Combining three elements of art that I love so much has always been a dream.  Anything manifested from the mind and created from your soul is art.  I plan on making this project a masterpiece.

To view my past work please check out my photography website: UrbanJungleFashion

Please share this project with your friends and family.

Thank You!