At 600 Pages, Escif’s First-Ever Book Takes an Ambitious and Playfully Irreverent Approach to Street Art

a horizontal watercolor painting of a young man partially wrapped ina robe, taking a nap on the ground and using a book as a pillow

[ad_1]

Art
Books
Design

#capitalism
#drawing
#Escif
#painting
#street art

a watercolor painting of an 18th-century woman throwing a black book

All images © Escif, shared with permission

Escif (previously) gained a foothold in street art by portraying playful scenes that tap into themes of capitalism, politics, and society, often relying on humor to convey messages related current events and activism. Now, the prolific Valencia-based artist is producing his first-ever book, a whopping 600-page tome titled The Foundations of Harmony and Invention, with help from a fully-backed crowdfunding campaign.

For this project, Escif leans into a sense of jocular absurdity present throughout his work, delving into his archive of paintings, photographs, murals, journeys, reflections, and more, which he describes as an “encyclopedic archive of images, poetry, and resistance.” He maintains an element of serious fun, as he plumbs the creative process and reminds us to interrogate hustle culture. Among many suggested uses—as a small step, a companion, or a wedge to hold open a door—the artist acknowledges its role also “as a book, claiming pause, silence, and timelessness against the dominant paradigm of productivity.”

Order your copy and support the project on Kickstarter until June 1, and follow updates on the artist’s Instagram.

a spread from Escif's forthcoming book, with a painting of a pear on the left and a photograph of a building on the right with a painted sign reading "libres et sauvages"

a collage of a hooded graffiti artist on a white background with a black scribble

a spread from Escif's forthcoming book, with a black-and-white photograph of two young men on the left and a facade of a small shop somewhere in Europe on the right with a sign in French

a horizontal watercolor painting of a young man partially wrapped ina robe, taking a nap on the ground and using a book as a pillow

a spread from Escif's forthcoming book showing photos and sketches on the left and a photograph of sculptures on the right

a side-by-side image showing, on the left, a watercolor portrait of an 18th-century man balancing a book on his head, and on the right, a print in a studio with the words "plant liberation front" and figures wearing balaclavas, holding plants

a painting of an anonymous 18th-century royal man's legs and shoes, stepping on a black book

the cover of Escif's forthcoming book

#capitalism
#drawing
#Escif
#painting
#street art

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. You’ll connect with a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, read articles and newsletters ad-free, sustain our interview series, get discounts and early access to our limited-edition print releases, and much more. Join now!

[ad_2]