112 pages Edited by René Kaestner and Tobias Silber Foreword by Aileen 'Mick La Rock' Middel 33 x 23 cm Language: English Paperback Publisher: Red Tower Publishing First edition of 300 copies 2025
Yaki's Scrapbook - Galerie Yaki Kornblit 1983 is a unique time capsule in graffiti art history. It's a reproduction of a 1983 scrapbook lovingly compiled by Tanya Trijbels, former wife of legendary gallery owner Yaki Kornblit from Amsterdam.
In the early 1980s, Yaki Kornblit became renowned for being the first art dealer to give New York graffiti artists individual shows in a formal gallery setting—a radical move at the time. Graffiti, created predominantly by teenagers of color from marginalized neighborhoods, was dismissed by the art establishment as vandalism. Kornblit, however, recognized its strong visual language and cultural significance. He believed so deeply in its power that he sold his house to finance the exhibitions.
While Yaki ran the gallery, Tanya carefully collected press articles, photos, and other materials about his shows with Futura 2000, Blade or Dondi. Today, the artists once rejected by the establishment are world-famous, and their early works from Galerie Yaki Kornblit now have historical and market value.
The reprint of this book offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into those early, visionary years. We proudly present it alongside the Hallenkunst exhibition, where Galerie Yaki Kornblit is highlighted. The original book, video footage byVincent van Blasblom and several original works from the book by Seen or Futura—never displayed since 1983—are also on show at the Timeline Exhibition.
