James and Karla Murray are professional photographers who began documenting the world of graffiti artists in the mid 1990s. They started first with New York City (and two books about the scene there), and eventually traveled south to Miami where their interest resulted in Miami Graffiti, a new book just out showcasing some of Miami’s most vibrant work.

This is where I have to point out that graffiti has its critics and Sharpie wants to be sure you understand that we don’t condone its use to deface or damage property or hurt or harm people. That’s not the intention of most graffiti artists anyway. The artists featured in the book are clearly people driven by a passion to create. In fact, the majority of the works are located in places that are invisible to the public eye, painted inside abandoned factories and along trackside buildings.  And the graffiti artists seem to like it that way. 

Sharpie was part of the book’s release party in Miami Beach, serving as the official marker of Graffiti Miami. Sharpie markers have been used for years by many graffiti artists to create the works they draw on paper and in their “blackbooks’ (sketchbooks).  Check out the action below:    (For info on where to buy the book, contact Ali Gitlow at Prestel Publishing, agitlow@prestel-usa.com). 

 

  

 

 

The Crew