Darco

Darco
Known for	Street art, graffiti

Born in 1968 Darco is a German-French graffiti-artist

Biography

Darco was born in 1968 in Germany (Bielefeld) and moved to France in 1976. There, Darco developed an early interest in art and more specifically Graffiti-Writing. Darco painted his first “piece” (painting) in a suburb of Paris in 1984. Since the early 80’s, he has received worldwide recognition for his style of writing, and is credited for influencing generations of graffiti-writers across the globe.

Darco specialises in the art of lettering. Although he retains the graphic side of the Outline, his style is often labeled 3D. Originality in style, perspectives and the dynamics of varying forms and colors are the focal point of Darco’s work.

In 1985, together with "Gawki", Darco created the legendary writer crew ‘FBI’, now an international artist collective. Through their originality, choice of subject, concept, style, size and quality of their work, coupled with extensive global travel, the crew acquired the respect of graffiti artists and followers the world over.

Darco was the first Graffiti Artist in France to be convicted for damage to public property in the year of ’89. As a result he was made an example of and suffered an extremely harsh punishment. After much deliberation, the SNCF (French Rail) decided, under the influence of different ministries and media, to set a new punishment for the crime. Darco was finally asked to paint several murals for the train company in order to work off the fine. A few years later in 1994, Darco was invited to be involved in the renovation of Europe’s first train station - Gare du Nord. The result was a mammoth spectacle – the creation of 900 m2 (~ 9700 ft2) of murals in one of the world’s busiest stations.

Since 1992 Darco has held the title of being one of Europe’s first Graffiti-Writers to have acquired the official status of ‘artist’. He is also a member of the American crew UA and the Australian crew TFC. Alongside artistic research, Darco works in several areas of the artistic industry, including decoration, design, fashion, set and stage design, and as an Art Director, adviser and consultant. He also regularly works within Europe, South Africa, USA, Australia and Canada.

In 2006 a book called, "Darco Code Art" was published by "Editions Alternatives / L' oeil d' Horus".

In the past Darco has worked as the artistic adviser of Jean Jacques Beineix, the body double of Olivier Martinez in the film IP5 and has sketched a complete concept for DJ Vadim’s album "The Art of Listening".

Darco’s work has been exhibited in the museums Palais de Tokyo, Centre Georges Pompidou, Kaltmann Museum, Musée des Arts et Traditions Populaires and the Grand Palais in Paris, France. Today, Darco continues to work in a consistent and meticulous manner remaining faithful to the essence of Graffiti-Writing and all that he has worked towards.

Exhibitions

• 2009 :
  • TAG, collective exhibition at le Grand Palais,Paris, 2009.
  • Exhibition in l’hotel Kube with le Studio 55

• 2008 :
  • Solo show, galerie Bailly Contemporain (Paris) - curator Taxie Gallery.
  • Collective exhibition, galerie Bailly Contemporain (Paris) - curator Taxie Gallery.

• 2007 :
  • Solo show « Melt Gallery » - Sydney (Australie)
  • Solo Show « Carhartt Gallery » - Weil am Rhein (Allemagne)
  • « Galerie Onega » - 60 rue Mazarine, (Paris 6eme)

• 2006 :
  • Solo show «Wooden Shadow Gallery » - Melbourne(Australie)

• 2003 :
  • Mural at Palais de Tokyo for the autumn festival opening (Paris)

• 2002 :
  • Art director of a 200m2 wall for Groundwork Morden - Londres (GB)

• 2000 :
  • « Area 101 » - Adelaide (Australie)
  • Collective exhibition « Totem » - Perth (Australie)
  • Collective exhibitione « Urban Discipline » et réalisation d’une fresque collective - Hambourg (Allemagne)

books

Mural Art
2008
Carpé Diem
isbn 978-3-939566-22-9

Darco Code Art
2006
Wasted Talent #3
isbn 17716411

Blackbook
Author Woshe, introduced by par Darco
2005
isbn 2 86227 461 5

Broken Windows Graffiti NYC
2002
Gingko Press, inc
isbn : 1-58423-078-9

URBAN DISCIPLINES
2001
Author : graffiti-art 2000
isbn : 3-00-007960-2

URBAN DISCIPLINES
2000
Author : graffiti-art 2000
isbn : 3-00-006154

Kapital
2000
Alternatives
isbn : 2862272574

Urban Discipline - Graffiti Art 2000
2000
Getting up / Maximum Hip Hop
isbn : 3-00-006154

Du Tag au Tag
2000
Epi/DDB

Graffiti Art #11 - Graffiti in Paris
Year ?
Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf
isbn : 3-89602-343-8

Graffiti Art #9 - Graffiti auf wänden und maueren
1998
Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf
isbn : 3-89602-161-3

Graffiti Art #3 Writing in München
Year ?
Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf
isbn : 3-89602-045-5

Graffiti Art Deutschland-Germany
Year ?
Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf
3-929139-58-8

Backjumps - Sketch book
Year 1996
?
isbn : ?

Theorie des style
1996
M.Saupe&Co GmbH. München
isbn : ?

Graffiti Lexicon
1993
Author Bernhard van Treeck - Edition Aragon
isbn : 3-924690-88-x

Paris, art libre dans la ville
1991
Herscher
isbn : 273350195X

Paris tonkar
1991
Florent Massot R. Pillement
isbn : 29083822096

Spraycan Art
Authors : Henry Chalfant & James Prigoff

External links

• Action Art
• Darcotfc
• lafabrique
• Taxie Gallery
• Fnac
• Darco, Code Art
• Artcurial : "Art graffiti & post-graffiti" Paris 2008

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