96 pages Edited Vincent Freitag Text(s) by Vincent Freitag Photographs by Vincent Freitag, Isabella Ehizibue, Rafaela Mikas, Cocono Sakuma, Valerie Freitag, Sofia Catalan, Simon S. and Julius Ertelt. Designed by Vincent Freitag 26 x 16 cm Language: Deutsch Softcover Publisher: Self-published First edition of 100 hand-numbered copies 2023
Unlike most symbols of our time, surprisingly little is known about the mysterious S-shape that has appeared for decades in school notebooks, on city walls, and across youth culture worldwide. Its name alone is elusive: Wikipedia calls it the Cool S, Jean-Michel Basquiat referred to it as the classic graffiti S, while others have dubbed it the Superman S, the Point S, the Gangster S, the Skater Kat—and more.
Theories of its origin are just as diverse. Some trace it to the rise of graffiti and hip-hop culture in 1970s and ’80s America, while others point to a 19th-century geometry professor at Princeton, who may have taught his students this unique way of drawing an S.
This book offers the first comprehensive exploration of the symbol: its possible beginnings, its spread across continents, and its place in pop and youth culture. From underground graffiti to Basquiat’s canvases, from playground doodles to global myth, the Cool S remains one of the most enigmatic and universal signs of our age.
