Cope2, born Fernando Carlo Jr., is an iconic name in graffiti - one of New York's pioneering artists in the '80s and '90s, founder of the KINGS DESTROY crew, and known for his wildstyle tagging - and here 35+ years of his work are compiled into one vibrant volume.

In over 250 colour photos, see his work transition from his early days in the South Bronx to his current gallery work featured worldwide. Divided into four chapters - Subway Cars and Trains, Painted Walls, Bubble Throw Ups, and Gallery and Artworks - Cope2's art may shift in medium, time, and place, but it remains fundamentally the same at its core: colourful, authentic, and raw.

In addition to the hundreds of photos of his work, excerpts from an interview with Cope2 by Carlos Mare, the museum programming director of the Museum of Graffiti, offers stories on Cope2's life and career from the artist himself.

Born in Kingsbridge in the Bronx, Fernando Carlo began his graffiti career with the encouragement of his cousin, Chico 80, and has since grown into an internationally known artist. Over four decades, he developed his trademark style on subways, trains, and walls and then moved into gallery work, which has been exhibited in Venice, Paris, Berlin, Hamburg, and more.

• Hardback
• 272 colour and b/w images

Six case studies conducted in New York City, Trenton, and Jersey City, explore how graffiti murals are created and what role they play in a city where buffing illegal graffiti is a lucrative business.

The author interviewed people affected on a daily basis by the murals at sites around the metropolitan area, as well as property owners who have allowed muralists to paint their property in hopes the graffiti murals would serve as a deterrent to vandalism-and provide a more aesthetically pleasing alternative to buffing.

An analysis informed by cultural Marxism and supported by street photography suggests a radical departure from traditional New York City policy: instead of spending money exclusively on the elimination of illegal graffiti, resources should also be devoted to the creation of graffiti murals.

In the end, graffiti removal teams and mural promoters are pursuing the same goal: making the city a more visually appealing place. AUTHOR: Patrick Verel was born in New York City and grew up in Norwalk, Connecticut.

He graduated from Fairfield Preparatory School in 1992 and earned a B.S. in journalism from St. John's University in Queens, New York, in 1997. He wrote for the Stamford Advocate and the Augusta Chronicle newspapers, freelanced for publications such as The New York Times and amNewYork, and most recently, joined the news and media relations team at Fordham University.

In 2009, he enrolled in Fordham's urban studies masters program, where he completed a thesis that was the basis for this book. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife Kelly and daughter Eliza. This book combines a few of his favorite things: taking pictures of street art, telling people's stories, and exploring obscure corners of New York City.

• 78 colour photographs
• Hardcover