‘Graf’ takes us to the heart of a growing international subculture where art and crime collide. The documentary charts the elaborate rituals of an underground art form and the inter-gang violence as artists fight over turf, drugs and wallspace.
Artwork by 'Scram'
Through the eyes of Tugi Balog, a former archaeologist from Croatia who has become a local hero, we see the struggle to legitimise graffiti art and to keep artists out of jail. Tugi opened the May Lane Art project in 2004, using the exterior wall space of his internationally recognised image consultancy to form a gang-neutral gallery for graffiti artists. May Lane attracts artists from all over the world including Japanese graffiti artist Kngee and American Chor Boogie.
Alongside the linear documentary, ‘Graf’ also develops cross-platform content for internet and mobile phones. This will include profiles of graffiti artists, showing them involved in real time creation of original art works from start to finish and online events that link up graffiti artists from around the world to facilitate creative collaboration.
