These days, when someone tags a New York City subway train, hardly anyone sees it because the MTA won't let the cars leave the yard. Back in the 1970s, trains ran with graffiti on them everyday, and photographers like Henry Chalfant were there to document the art for future generations to see.
In their new book, Training Days: The Subway Artists Then and Now, Chalfant and journalist Sacha Jenkins share photos and stories from the artists who risks their lives and freedom to create the mobile murals, including Bil Rock, Breezer, Daze, Jon One, Kel, KR, Lady Pink, Sak, Sharp, Skeme, Spin, and Team.
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"There are all these different elements you've got to contend with when you go to the train yard," says Daze in the book. "You go there with an outline and you hope to pull something off that's acceptable. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. Every time I went to a lay-up, it was trial and error. I came close to getting caught many times; there were a lot of chases, but I was never actually caught."
Cop the book today to read more from the artists and to see more of Chalfant's great photographs.
[via FastCoDesign]
