The exhibition With One Eye Open is an ode to photography in graffiti. From the photography that enabled graffiti to spread worldwide to contemporary writers who consider the photo as the final piece. Both a glimpse into the hidden world for many and some impressive photography projects. We showcase both influential projects and those that have remained unknown to the general public. An international, national, and local lineup of photographers and graffiti writers.   

Participating photographers and graffiti artists (or projects): Alex Fakso - Analog Delinquents - Bryan Stoel & Stijn van Leest - Edward Nightingale - Fuzi - Good Guy Boris - Ikarus & Errorflict - Luke Da Duke - Nawas - Mjay - Martha Cooper - Moses & Taps - Our Side of the Story - Potato and Onion - Ralph Roelse - RDJ - Tripl / Furious - Disposable Project.

The title 'With One Eye Open' has a double meaning: on one hand, it refers to the way a photographer looks through the camera lens, and on the other hand, it refers to the constant alertness required due to the risks present both during and after photographing.   

The curator is Jasper van Es from Eindhoven. His career is steeped in dedication to the graffiti scene, bridging the gap between the underground art world and a broader audience.   

www.jaspervanes.nl 

http://www.jaspervanes.nl

 

Documentation in graffiti is crucial due to the temporary, fleeting, and often illegal nature of graffiti. Graffiti writers often work in the dark or in hidden locations where the result is only clearly visible in daylight. Initially, capturing the piece's aesthetics was the primary goal, but over time, the focus shifted more towards documenting the creation process. With the advent and growing importance of social media, where images play an omnipresent role, the playing field of graffiti art has partly shifted from the streets to the virtual environment of the internet. The role of photography in graffiti art is twofold. On one hand, evidence is created to show that a piece—a graffiti artwork—actually existed, while on the other hand, a photo or video can also be used as evidence against the artist by the authorities, with all the consequences that entails.   

With One Eye Open is one of the first and perhaps the most comprehensive overview exhibitions about the visual documentation of graffiti and the graffiti scene. It reveals the complete story behind the pieces, as well as the changing role of photography and video as documentation tools over the decades. Van Es brings together the work of young emerging talents and established photographers from the graffiti scene in the exhibition. Particularly special is that some photographers will tell their own stories, revealing details that are usually hidden from the eyes of outsiders. The public thus gets a unique insight into a normally very closed world.   

During DDW (October 19 to 27, 2024) open daily.   

With thanks to Mondriaanfonds, Het Cultuurfonds Noord-Brabant and SCE.   

 

Opening: Saturday, September 7, from 15:00 to 19:00.