Crimes of Style: The Poetry of Rene Char

Crimes of Style is an extraordinary effort to analyze and develop a critique of the social phenomenon surrounding graffiti as an unregulated cultural practice. The book draws its initial strenght from taking knowledgeable, and in depth look at the Denver graffiti scene in the 80s and early 90s. The use of his extensive involvement with representatives of the street culture, as well as a detailed account of political initiatives around it, enable him to picture a complex case study, used to formulate a critique of the criminalization of unregulated street practices, and what it means from a position of critical activism. In this regard the book does this three things rather well, and leaves a forth unfortunately untouched. First, the account from the inside of the graffiti scene is very insightful, and exposes practices, customs, and aspirations of those involved. Unless one has had some experience from within the scene, there are few accounts done so systematically exposing ones own involvement, and in doing so offering a whole range of ramifications. Second, using this as a background, it narrates a complex history of reactive policies driven by local politicians, business, and pressure groups to criminalize graffiti, in turn exposing their own biases, ignorance, and contradictions used to expose an ethnography around power structure. And thirdly, the preceding two aspects are used to offer the most compromised part of the book, which explicitly from a nicely elaborated anarchist perspective, points to the effects that the policies prosecuting graffiti actually had promoting it and transforming its status. Then elaborating about the complexities, contradictions, and importance of unregulated cultural practices. which he uses to conclude advocating for an anarchist criminology that much like he does in the volume are willing to research, and challenge dominant discourses, examine structures of power, and offer an activist critique. The part that is missing on this volume, is some form of attempt to compare the practices of the graffiti culture, and how it actually parallels much of the commonly accepted art practices. An attempt to break further down how this activity is structured and what, is actually inherently different from mainstream art behaviour is largely untapped until the final section. But in any case, and even if some readers don't feel inclined into the anarchists perspectives that Ferrell so adeptly presents, the book still presents a pivotal case study on the criminalization of style and the social struggles embedded in its practice.

Ferrell offers a major contribution to sociology, criminology, and to youth studies. This brief book not only offers insight and analysis of graffiti artists, it explores the ways in which power is negotiated and challenged. In the graffiti artists' use of space and in their definitions of beauty and neighborhood, they uncover the way power and meanings are manufactured. Ferrell's work is a powerful, clear, and engaging book; one which shows stunning new ways of seeing and studying 'crime.'

Crimes of Style is a journey into the burgeoning underground Denver Graffiti scene. Jeff Ferrel's participant observations of local taggers and writers gives a fascinating insight into a sometimes beautiful and sometimes offensive subculture of vandalism....or is it? The question of vandalism or art remains an underlying question throughout Ferrel's book. And the reader must decide for himself where the line between art and crime stands. Jeff Ferrel's work is divine inspiration to the fledgling sociologists like myself.