Is there life after spray paint? Long condemned as vandalism, the public’s perception of graffiti is slowly changing. Ubiquitous and with a natural affinity to architecture, this form of expression has not only established itself as a part of youth culture but has also become a fundamental aspect of the modern city.

An offspring of this scene, writing has become no less than contemporary urban calligraphy. While the classic New York style of writing was once limited to the world of street gangs, it has now left its mark on virtually all visual disciplines. Strictly speaking the arrangement of spaces by outlines, writing has become an invaluable influence and inspiration, especially in the realms of graphic design, motion graphics, fashion, packaging and architecture.

Compiled by Berlin activists and designers Markus Mai and Arthur Remke, the book Writing surveys this appropriation of public space and examines the detailed fusion of analogue writing and digital design as well as post-graffiti concepts. Broken down into the chapters tags, throw-ups, lettering, objects, graphic design and street art, the content documents the current, changing influences of writing, art and graphics. The featured work ranges from designs done in pencil, marker and spray paint to architectural models, which implement writing’s calligraphy as three-dimensional objects or buildings.