"Street Art is a global phenomenon, one of the most popular and hotly discussed areas of art-making on the contemporary scene. Developing out of the graffiti tradition of the 1980s it has now reached the mainstream through the work of artists like Banksy and Futura 2000, becoming the subject of best-selling books and commanding high prices at auction." "Cedar Lewisohn has written the first account of this visual revolution to trace its history from cave painting through to the vibrant art emerging today on the walls of London, Madrid and Sao Paulo, via Brassai's photographs of 1920s Paris and Basquiat and Haring's New York. Superbly illustrated with over 120 colour photographs of street art from around the world, the book includes interviews with leading street art proponents of the last three decades, taking the reader behind their 'tags' to encounter the often mysterious figures who are transforming cities across the globe."--Jacket.