Blurring Books – förlag

In our pill-happy society there is a pill for everything. Corporate legal drug dealers, aka Big Pharma, have for decades put design thought into clever pill presses and multicolored gel-caps to distinguish their products and attract buyers. So too, in the 1990s and 2000s when ecstasy swept the club and rave scenes, the branding of pills was essential to the marketing, a way for the user to identify a good high from cold medicine or a batch of poison. Ecstasy branding was often based on well-known corporate logos. Easily identified, pill makers latched onto the brand recognition of our corporate society subverting the brands at the same time. A process the cultural critic Carlo McCormick says “collapses the ever-convergent space between subversive youth culture and acquiescent mainstream passive consumption.” While working as a nightlife photographer, New York-based Michael Lorenzini became fascinated by the design details in ecstasy tablets and wanted to document this underground art form. He proceeded to photograph every pill he took from 2000-2001. Although jewel-like in their tiny colorful forms, the macro photographs, shot on slide film with an extreme macro lens, reveal hidden imperfections and textured landscapes.

Celebrate the smiley face's 60 year impact on art, music, pop and counter culture with The Sm;)e Book. In the history of graphic design, there is no other symbol that has ever held such a duality-used simultaneously as both a positive mainstream driver and a counterculture subverter of that very mainstream. The Sm;)e Book showcases an unprecedented collection of some the world's most potent visual communicators. With introductions from authors db Burkeman and Rich Browd, the book includes work from some of the most important visual communicators of our time such as:Alex Da CorteAlfie SteinerAlicia McCarthyAurel SchmidtBANKSYChapman BrothersCody HudsonCurtis KuligDestroy All MonstersEric ElmsErik FossGreg BoginINVADERJames JoyceJeremy DellerKATSUMark FloodMisaki KawaiNorman CookPaul Insect + BÄSTRichard PrinceRob PruittRon EnglishSadie BenningSayre GomezSKULLPHONETyrrell WinstonWolfgang TillmansYung Jake1UP Crew

A visual retrospective of the turbulent year that was 2020 through the eyes of the New York-based multi-disciplinary artist Erik Foss.TWENTY TWENTY A Year in Pictures is a snapshot of Foss’ psyche, and of one of the most turbulent years in recent American history. A lot of the events and changes of the past year directly influenced his work, depicted in this remarkable and expressive collection of imagery, bound together in ahardcover time capsule. 2020 was a horror show, but in many ways, that very horror has been the muse for his most artistically successful year.

Due to the success of The Sm;)e Book and demand for more, authors db Burkeman and Rich Browd invite you tocelebrate the smiley face’s 60 year impact on art, music, pop and counter culture with the second book in the series, Sm;)eagain... In the history of graphic design, there is no other symbol that has ever held such a duality—used simultaneouslyas both a positive mainstream driver and a counterculture subverter of that very mainstream. Sm;)e again... showcases aneven more impressive collection of the world’s most potent visual communicators! Introduction from the legendary NormanCook, aka Fatboy Slim Artists featured: Arno Beck, Aurel Schmidt, B. Thom Stevenson, BANKSY, Barry McGee, BráulioAmado, Chapman Brothers, Chris Johanson, Dan David, Dan McCarthy, David Shrigley, Destroy All Monsters, Ellen Jong,Elliott Routledge, Erik Foss, Fred Tomaselli, Gerhard Richter, Hunter Potter, James Joyce, Javier Jaen, Jim Jarmusch,John Rogers, Josh Reames, Justin Metz, Kellesimone Waits, Kenny Scharf, Lisa De Boeck & Marilene Coolens, LucasPrice, Luigi Brusciano, Marilyn Minter, Maurizio Cattelan/Pierpaolo Ferrari, Michael Clark, Misaki Kawai, Nate Lowman,Richard Phillips, Velvet Underground, Rob Pruitt, Scout Zabinski, Stephen Powers, Stuart Semple, Talking Heads, TomFriedman, Wendy White, Ugo Rondinone, UFO907

Tragic and beautiful, ridiculous and sublime, these photographs are a record of the branded proprietary names of street drugs of The Bronx in the years around the Crack and AIDS epidemics.Heroin brand names were mostly associated with trouble and cocaine brand names were mostly associated with good living/the high life. These images tell stories, provide cautionary tales, sell through sex appeal, reference topical issues and engage in Truth In Advertising. Told through the photographs of New York based photographer, Thatcher Keats.

Crash Bang: Pictures from a Punk is a never before seen collection of photos from 1976-1982 of the punk & new wave music scenes in London, New York & LA.In the 70’s, DB Burkeman was a 16-year-old school dropout in London. While struggling to become a professional photographer, he was simultaneously struggling with substance abuse issues. Spending all his disposable income on self-medicating, rolls of film would inevitably get thrown into a bedside drawer where they remained undeveloped for 40 years.In the 90’s, DB made his name in the U.S. rave world as DJ DB. He then became a music executive for record companies and more recently he authored three successful books with Rizzoli. After his mother’s death, he went back to London and cleared out his old bedroom. He discovered a bag of undeveloped 35mm rolls of film, unearthing a time capsule of the explosion of punk rock captured through performances and intimate moments.

I Left a Note is a collection of street photography, focusing on and highlighting one of the masters of what’s known as “fire extinguisher” graffiti, PORK. PORK is a legend in the world of street art in New York City, as well as an in demand fine artist, showing in many galleries in the city. The city itself is truly his canvas. He is currently working out of his studio in Red Hook, Brooklyn. I Left a Note is part of Blurring Books' new series of publications, Limited Slim Publications.

I Hope I Break Even, I Could Use the Money is a book of black and white photographs taken at Aqueduct Racetrack by NYC photographer Larry Racioppo. In a short accompanying essay, Larry describes a day spent there with his father and uncle who, like the majority of people at the track, were blue collar workers looking for a "score" to supplement their income.

Any Sunday in Coacalco, offers an unvarnished and intimate glimpse into the subculture of Mexican luchadores, the global phenomenon that’s inextricably tied with Mexican identity. Through a blend of reportage and deeply personal portraits, New York photographer Tyler Blint-Welsh highlights the roughness, absurdity, and passion that defines lucha libre, with a collection of images depicting raw violence, feats of athleticism, and moments of vulnerability. With a distinct perspective, honed over years as a journalist for the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, Blint-Welsh takes a documentarian’s approach to a cultural performance, showcasing the aspects of machismo, tradition, and parody that have turned lucha libre into one of Mexico’s biggest pop-culture exports. For his debut photobook, which was shot in a single afternoon, Blint-Welsh traveled to an outdoor wrestling ring on the outskirts of Mexico City, with a pair of cameras and seven rolls of 35mm film.

In 2021 after recreational marijuana was legalized in New York, an onslaught of guerilla smoke shops that sold weed began opening all over the city, beating any state-sanctioned dispensaries to the market. Almost overnight, it felt like every empty storefront was a smoke shop and every deli had added weed to their inventory. In an immediately over saturated market with accessibility like never before, the question of how to make your product stand out arose. The answer? Branding! This shift from black market to commercial led to an unprecedented emphasis on visuals for the weed being purchased, a renaissance of sorts. Never before seen strains whose names and designs played on current events, pop culture, lifestyles, luxuries and vices started showing up everywhere while more traditional strains like Sour Diesel or Gorilla Glue suddenly garnered an infinite amount of new visual interpretations. Soon enough, these bags were littered all over the streets and it became clear that they were, in most cases, unrelated to the strain of weed inside and served mostly as a visual aid - like a trading card. These bags were notably original and inventive, with seemingly endless variations of subject matter that felt completely unique to this moment of New York history. Za Zine is a collection of these bags found by Louis in New York between November 2023 and February 2024.

Exported out of Chicago and Detroit in the late 80s, House and Techno music washed back up on US shores in the early 90s, repackaged as ‘Rave’ (Hardcore Techno) by the English, Belgians, Germans, et al. UK live acts like The Shamen, 808 State, Altern-8 and The Prodigy began to put a face to what most Americans considered to be ‘faceless’ music while the Alternative Dance Music era of American clubbing faded into the background.Before the World Wide Web made connecting with like-minded heads as easy as a few clicks, news of underground dance culture spread through word-of-mouth and DIY fanzines—called ‘zines—published and distributed by fellow DJs, artists, and insiders at record shops, clothing stores, and other hangouts.Based in the city of Tampa in Central Florida, one of America’s most fertile scenes, TRiP MAGAZEEN publishers Peter Wohelski, DJ Three, and Grumptronix document burgeoning US rave culture whilst keeping tempo with the global village from 1992 through 1994. Across 16 issues, never before compiled online or in print, TRiP traverses the underground through the eyes of its progenitors during the peak & dissolution of Rave as a major label commodity. Over 750 multi-genre record reviews and DJ/retail charts provide a detailed sonic roadmap along the way.Created pre-internet on early desktop publishing tools, TRiP conducted over 60 of the earliest American interviews from recording artists, DJs and luminaries including Aphex Twin, The Prodigy, Moby, Richie Hawtin & John Acquaviva (Plus 8), DJ Hell, J. Saul Kane (Vinyl Solution), Cabaret Voltaire, Orbital, The Orb, Autechre, Laurent Garnier, Dubtribe Sound System, Hardkiss Music, Caspar Pound (Rising High Records), Mixmaster Morris, Inner City, Terre Thaemlitz (aka DJ Sprinkles), Paul van Dyk, Seefeel, Black Dog Productions, Future Sound Of London, Global Communications, jungle/drum n bass pioneers Dan Donnelly (Suburban Bass), Rob Playford, A Guy Called Gerald, and the late psychedelic explorer / counterculture author / rave philosopher Terence McKenna.In over 2 1/2 years of publishing, TRiP’s coverage garnered the attention of bigger UK dance culture bibles DJ Magazine, Mixmag, and Jockey Slut, as well as German fanzine Size, with credited quotes from its interviews appearing in stories on Aphex Twin, Future Sound of London, and Laurent Garnier. TRiP even received a postcard from enigmatic Underground Resistance co-founder Mad Mike Banks expressing his utmost respect for TRiP’s coverage of Detroit artists and releases.

Cow Corner is a photographic exploration by Vikram Valluri capturing cricket's influence on India during the Cricket World Cup 2023. The journey extends through Pune, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, and Ladakh, showcasing cricket as an integral part of life beyond sport. The pages feature images treated to give the appearance of photographs that have been printed, handled, and weathered, providing a genuine, tactile feel. These visuals seem as if they have been passed among fans, becoming worn and cherished over time. "Cow Corner" uncovers cricket's role in transcending cultural, political, and religious divides, offering a unique glimpse into the sport's deep resonance across India.

The Other Side of San Diego is a documentary-style photo collection depicting the gang lifestyle and drug scenes in San Diego County, California. The other side of San Diego is often overlooked. The photographer, Miguel "Chromatic" Valencia, documents the landscape of the South East, North County, and South Bay neighborhoods where he grew up to represent the authentic and often unseen side of his community. This photo memoir includes interviews with members from those communities about the gang, drug, and prison experiences that define the narrative of their neighborhoods.

Flaco the Eurasian eagle-owl had spent the first twelve years of his life in a small enclosure in the Central Park Zoo, unable to fly, until the night of February 2nd, 2023, when an unknown liberator cut a hole in the steel mesh of his cage and set him free. Flaco eluded the nets and traps of zoo authorities and park rangers who feared that Flaco couldn’t survive on his own, and instead, proved them all wrong, learning to hunt, fly, and make the city his home.With rich imagery and illustrations, FLACO celebrates the work of the photographers who documented Flaco in his favorite city haunts, features works by artists who were inspired by Flaco’s story, and memorializes the objects left at the base of Flaco’s favorite Central Park oak upon his tragic passing.FLACO is the ultimate tribute to the owl whose story captured the imagination and inspired millions around the world.

NYC Restaurant Ads, 1983-1998 is the first archival project by Nikki Igol's Public Image Library, published in collaboration with Blurring Books. Drawn from the Public Image Library's print archive, the book documents the evolution of the Manhattan dining scene, as presented in the advertising section of magazines such as Interview, Paper, and Details. This visual archive captures both the evolution of culinary discovery and graphic design as the finicky New York diner, always in search of the "it" spot, discovers the cuisines of the world and the neighborhoods of Manhattan. Restaurants are an ephemeral expression of culture; these advertisements document the ever-evolving New York taste.

LOST IN SPACE is a collection of marijuana baggie insert labels used in NYC in the 80's. These labels were a curated series, by cannabis aficionados in the downtown art community. The imaginative branding poked fun at the repression aimed at recreational cannabis commerce and usage, while airing out memes, jokes and visual puns of popular weed culture of the day.

Acme BOY: The Birth of Punk & Anti-Fashion 1975 - 1985...and Other Twisted, True Stories from Pre-Internet CountercultureBy Phil StrongmanIt’s 50 years since the ‘street couture’ shop Acme Attractions opened - and November 1975 sees the 50th anniversary of the first SEX PISTOLS gig. Which makes it perfect timing for Phil Strongman's Acme BOY - the stunning inside story of Acme, BOY, PUNK and ‘anti-fashion’; the London youth culture explosions of the 1970s and ‘80s - eruptions that end up having global influence.By turns amusing, intriguing and shocking, Acme BOY features not only the author's own story - and his involvement with the Pistols, The Clash, Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood - but also contains exclusive words from Acme Attractions founder John Krivine and BOY co-founder Steph Raynor. These two men had shops crammed with classic jukeboxes and staffed by film-maker and Radio 6 DJ Don Letts, Rough Trade boss Jeannette Lee, DJ Jay Strongman (relation) and stylist Eric Rose. Their customers included John Lydon, Sid Vicious, Bob Marley, Andy Warhol, Rudolf Nureyev, Peter O’Toole, Rod Stewart, Daryl Hall, Boy George, Joe Strummer, Chrissie Hynde, Billy idol, Patti Smith, Deborah Harry, Philip Sallon, Steve Strange and Adam Ant… And BOY clothing, now labelled BOY LONDON, continues to be worn by 21st century stars like Rihanna, Madonna, Cara Delevingne and Jessie J - yet the untold story of the brand’s tangled roots are both revealing and fascinating.Back in 1975 and 1976 King’s Road proto-punk was initially dubbed The Big Sleaze by fashion mags before it rapidly became notorious as Punk, the shattering scene that shocked the UK, caused riots in Chelsea, raised questions in Parliament and basically invented the Indie genre; inspiring film-makers such as Quentin Tarantino and musicians REM, Nirvana, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Green Day and many others in the US, Europe, Japan, Korea and worldwide.Post-Punk, Mod, New Romanticism, Two-Tone, Goth, Rockabilly, the Warehouse scene all followed in swift succession - writer and film-maker Strongman saw these movements develop and was deeply involved in many of them. He is unique in being the only person to have designed for Acme Attractions and BOY and Fans - whilst later managing bands, taking photos and supplying clothes to Sign of The Times, Ad Hoc, BOY and Vivienne Westwood. His designs have been worn by Anita Pallenberg, Roger Daltrey, Billy Connelly and Pamela Stephenson as well as hundreds of Punk, New Wave and Indie musicians.With its gripping text and an array of rare and unseen photos, images and illustrations, Acme BOY is one of the most important, and personal, contemporary books to explore London fashion in general and the ‘70s Punk era in particular.

The Show of Stolen Goods is a catalogue for an exhibition at The UhaulGallery featuring items people have stolen from their jobs.

Taschi Belt's "RECEIPTS" is a collection of photographs captured between 2017 and 2024. The artist has uniquely presented these images by printing them on receipt paper.

The body of work in the book is a photo project by MarieVic. It was shot in New York City during election week 2020. The work records a sign of the times: when across U.S., city storefronts boarded up ahead of election in anticipation of the violence that could result. Plywood window coverings blanketed the high-end shopping strip, an eerie sight for stores whose extroverted glassed windows are meant to speak a language of enticement.

"Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired..‘HALT’, Acronym; A tool used in addiction and, or, alcohol treatment that identifies the four leading triggers of substance abuse, relapse, and poor decision making.HALT, set amongst multiple American rehabs, is an undeniably wild ride through the psyche of addicts and alcoholics across the inevitable jails, institutions, and death that become their lives. The writer takes us through what is occurring from a patient’s perspective ; whether it be something spoken in a smoking area, or being preached by a therapist in a class on the dangers of drug and alcohol use. HALT shows the stark, specific, environment and interactions that are occurring in what is becoming an exponentially larger industry by the day.Note From The Author-It is impossible to tune in to society today without facing the crisis that is addiction. Whether it be flipping through cable television or scrolling on any form of social media… whatever you are viewing, within minutes you are bound to come face to face with the epidemic currently occurring on America’s streets. ‘HALT’ is more than just a direct look into the lives of the sick and suffering. It tells the life story, the heartbeat and soul, of addicts and alcoholics. What adversity, and monotony, they face… As well as what is being taught and spoken about in rehab in America as we speak. How they cope through storytelling and “war-storying”; a term used to describe past events and memories involving substance abuse. These quotes, conversations, and images are poetry. They put any reader that has been through rehab directly back into the halls, classrooms, and patios that they once walked. Flipping through pages evoke such strong memories that I can smell a mirage of menthol cigarette smoke. For someone in recovery, these pages provide a comfort… And for the unknowing reader, it serves as a testament to the fact that their is no quick-fix for addiction or alcoholism. Their is no physical piece of literature like this that provides a “boots-on-the-ground”, present day, perspective as to what rehab in America is. It is pure, unadulterated, absurdity at times. Moments of agony and hilarity, of revelation and self destruction, of passion and apathy — all under a roof made up of the misunderstood, the unwilling, and the ‘desperate-for-a-change’. All of them mythical storytellers, but few of them able to find the salvation that rehab is selling. It brings me joy to know that family members of those in recovery as well as those fascinated by this narcotic epidemic get to see first hand and understand what individuals go through in the roughly $42 billion dollar a year rehabilitation industry..."

Trip Advisor is a collection of transcribed travel notes from over 25 years of trip journal entries by Ryan McGinness. This artist’s book analyses his psychedelic visions with hindsight annotations and reproductions of artworks made during those years. McGinness asks, “Can we transcend the use of mushrooms to gain insights that move us beyond their healing powers? Can we use psychedelics to explore the mind, come back, and report our findings?” McGinness has attempted to answer these questions. These are his discoveries.

Thirty years ago, in February 1994, hoping for a professional comeback, legendary country music singer George Jones recorded an album of duets with country and rock music stars at the renowned studio Bradley’s Barn. Fritz Hoffmann was the exclusive photographer of the eleven-day sessions. His pictures have been stored away, unseen, ever since. This book presents an intimate view of Jones and the other featured artists who’ve long since passed on and the young country stars of the 1990s who now carry the mantle of statesmen and women of the music genre.

Over the course of 2024, Daniel Shepard traveled through New York, Mexico, Japan,Indonesia, Thailand, and Chicago-each place leaving its mark through references hepicked up along the way: sign paintings on the street, inside jokes, passing feelings,and fleeting moments. This body of work documents Shepard's journey viaillustration-what you're seeing are scenarios straight from the source.

The Empire Strikes Book is a 500-page book gathers the full arc of a lifelong fascination—drawings and works born from the Star Wars universe. The book begins with the artist's earliest, childhood sketches at age seven in 1977, when the first film detonated the imaginations of viewers across the world. JK5's work is organized by year and provides a visual progression of his skill, style formation, and infatuation with the franchise. The Empire Strikes Book is a visual feast that is chock-full of fan-favorite characters reimagined in JK5's unique style."I drew obsessively through the original trilogy years. In 1994, during my senior year at the Rhode Island School of Design, I felt the desert winds of the 'Dune Sea' calling me back. That autumn, as I began tattooing in earnest, I adopted JK5 as my nom de plume (Jedi Knight, Red 5), and the visual grammar of Star Wars evolved into a parallel mythology—part homage, part catalyst. It became a lens through which I explored identity, expression, and the construction of my own personal cosmology. This work is the record of that journey." - JK5

ILLEGAL: Rave Flyers of the 90s is a 500-page, encyclopedic collection of rave & party promotional flyers from the birth of EDM in America.DB Burkeman, formerly known as DJ DB, went back to the rave promoters from his 90s gigs to collect material for this book. Showcasing flyers, drawings, & other ephemera alongside firsthand accounts, ILLEGAL documents the evolution of graphic design during the rise of home computers and charts the development of cutting-edge styles, many of which are still in use today.For the book, DB conducted Q&As with seminal DJs & promoters such as Kevin Saunderson, Richie Hawtin, DJ Icey, Frankie Bones, & more to unpack the thrills & challenges of throwing events in the pre-internet age.A must for anyone interested in graphic design, counterculture, or both!

Coming of Rage is a collection of 80, black and white photographs of protests by Ed Eckstein. The book is divided into four sections: the Vietnam era, Civil Rights, elections and MAGA. Eckstein’s photographs span 60 years of differing opinions and ideological clash in the United States.Coming of Rage does not seek to be a theory or history of protest, it considers the historical and present characteristics of protests in the United States.More than ever in past and current times protest movements continue to disrupt given narratives, using activism and resistance to express and voice dissent. Protests are an attempt to shape the world we live in, wrestling power from those in charge to create a fairer world.“As I wander and photograph through the throngs of signs and concerned citizens, I share a common hope that their messages and my work can lead to help prevent truth decay, and lead to dialogue and not distrust.” – Ed Eckstein

The Dollhouse documents Mae Dessauvage's recent paintings and sculptures from 2023 to 2025. Herhouse-like works-occupied by introverted, cartooned figures-reinterpret the relationship between thebody and the architectural frame. Inspired by medieval altarpieces and contemporary manga, theseshaped panels unfold as intimate, spatial narratives. Her androgynous figures recall devotional icons andanime figurines alike, reframing the "doll" as a stand-in for transfeminine experience. This publication ofDessauvage's work blurs the boundary between the sacred and the bodily, the historical and the personal.The Dollhouse is part of Blurring Books' new series of publications, Limited Slim Publications(LSPs).