Gusmano Cesaretti
A Guided Tour of Chicano Graffiti
• 10”x 10” Format. Black Bound Cloth Cover.
• Additional Unreleased Photos
• Black & White Photography
• Photographer: Gusmano Cesaretti
• Publisher: Arte Povera Foto Books
• ISBN: 978-1-7342085-0-4
Street Writers
A Guided Tour of Chicano Graffiti
The Original Book Resurrected.
The first graffiti book to document the Chicano Street Culture. Gusmano Cesaretti’s historical black and white photographs in high contrast and beautiful composition highlighted in a larger format, cloth bound in its well deserved sewn spine documenting Graffiti in Northeast Los Angeles in the pioneering seventies.
Expanded First Edition.
Hardcover. Limited Edition.
Published by Arte Povera Foto Books
ISBN: 978-1-7342085-0-4
The Photographer:
Gusmano Cesaretti
Born in Fratina di Porcari, in Lucca, Italy.
He studied at Collegio Cavanis. His father gave him a beautiful photo camera for his 14th birthday. It became his instrument. Gusmano has expressed himself through a wide range of mediums from photo journalism, editorial, fashion and commercial work to feature films, documentaries and conceptual art.
All bear his own special personal vision and style.
“I’m interested in people, and I want to capture society in my photographs in a way that looks beyond the obvious.”
THE ARTIST:
Chaz Bojórquez
Draws his inspiration from Los Angeles where he was born, grew up and still lives. He received formal art training at Guadalajara University of Art in Mexico, California State University Los Angeles and the Chouinard Art Institute now known as Cal Arts. Under Chinese Calligraphy Master Yun Chung Chiang, Chaz developed a deep understanding for written language. He worked as a commercial artist in advertising and film before concentrating on painting.
Chaz is the Godfather of Los Angeles Graffiti Art.
"I am the most continuous, longest graffiti writer in the world. I put 50 years in of writing. We are an Original. We started this stuff. We not only had the best book...but, it was the very first book."
THE CURATOR:
Chris Gutíerrez
Born in East Los Angeles and raised on the streets of Northeast Los Angeles in the 1970's, Chris made the stretch of the Los Angeles River alongside the Arroyo Seco Parkway and shadows of the Southwest Museum his playground.
During those formative years, Chris was captured alongside his brother Miguel by the lens of Gusmano Cesaretti while observing artist Chaz Bojórquez at work. That photo will later appear on the cover of the coveted book Street Writers: A Guided Tour of Chicano Graffiti, published in 1975.
Chris will eventually partner with Gusmano Cesaretti to work on feature films and commercials as a photographer and location scout. Their shared history and mutual love of photography would lead them to launch their own publishing company with a focus on photo books.
"Imagine how one photo can change your perspective on life and take you to greater heights".