HUGO KAAGMAN
Punk: DIY  -   Do It Yourself Punk rock is a dynamic, international movement, the message of punk is rebellion accompanied with roots spirituality. Punk rock exploded in the streets and clubs of many cities and towns across the world starting in the late 70s. It was an untamed, unplanned, organic movement which attracted an interesting mix of people dissatisfied and disgusted with commercial music, mainstream life, political structures and governmental abuses. People's motivations for being interested in the movement certainly varied ... some people wanted nothing more than to get obliterated and enjoy being surrounded by a rowdy, enthusiastic crowd. Others, those closer to my heart and my intentions, saw the music as a vital outlet for rage and sadness against abusive and/or dysfunctional political, societal and familial structures.    From documenting the harsh realities of living in a megalopolis setting as a punk, a misfit -- to giving voice to the surreal suburban condition of kids growing up behind white picket fences that acted as a cover for some of the most fucked-up families to be found anywhere and gave voice to so many young people who may have never found another (healthy) means of expression for their suffering. To be a punk was a revolutionary act. It was, and still is, a recognition that something is very, very amiss in this world of ours. That, on a micro-level, records and shows shouldn't be controlled by mega-conglomerate music companies; that appearance shouldn't be dictated or sold or conformed to; that family abuse wasn't acceptable; that schools shouldn't teach us to conform but instead to *think critically* and learn our true multicultural histories. And on a macro-level, that patriarchal capitalism was a flawed, destructive, greedy, and corrupt phenomenon which had been allowed to run loose and wreak havoc all over the world; that gender, ethnic, sexual orientation, age, and class oppression existed and and should be fought against; that there was something better out there which we could make for ourselves.  It wasn't going to happen for us - DIY - Do It Yourself was an ethic which punk had always espoused. And so it goes.
ANUS,OZON,ZEBRA   In 1977 Kaagman got involved with the punkmovement in Amsterdam; the building at the Sarphatistraat 62 squatted by punks among them Kaagman. Here in 1977 the first Dutch punkpaper was founded, printed and distributed by Kaagman. The paper was called the Koecrandt. In the building various galleries were setttled and everyone with artistical aspirations could find a place to create and show their work.People were welcome to write all sorts of anarchistical or political slogans on the wall. Particularly punks wanted to change the establishment, because it worked alienating and made society suffer physically and psychologically. Punks reacted rather violently to this. Via the galleries all sorts of stencils with political or artistic interest were spread. The images gave reaction on the social dullness eminent in Western society. The stencils got sprayed on clothes, walls and facades. It is not very strange that the works were a clear, critical response on and a message to society. In this era, Kaagman run an Art-Walk-in-service spraying cultpictures direct to public on anything they wanted. The graffiti which evoked the political and social awareness of his generation became a vast ingredient of the Amsterdam punkmovement. At the beginning of his artistic career he was mainly occupied with observing the social structures within cultures and societies. Some of these can still be seen on the walls of Amsterdam. For his "spray- painting" activities, Hugo Kaagman uses stencils and reworks familiar motifs, inspired by the media and history of art. As a self-taught man Kaagman developed a unique technique with spraycans and airbrush on canvases and walls.
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Stencil King is een prachtig overzichtswerk van een levende legende. Hugo Kaagman is dé Nederlandse pionier op het gebied van street art: al sinds het eind van de jaren zeventig – samenvallend met de punk- en kraakbeweging – toont hij zijn werk in de straten van Amsterdam en omstreken. Zijn werk is beïnvloed door een opvallende mix van politiek, reggae, Moorse architectuur en Delfts blauw. Eind jaren zeventig en in de jaren tachtig werd hij bekend door het door hem en Diana Ozon uitgegeven fanzine Koecrandt, waarin ook de Sid Vicious van de Nederlandse punk- (en ook grafftiti)scene Dr Rat publiceerde. Dr Rat overleed in 1981 aan een overdosis, op 21- jarige leeftijd Kaagman is echter de King of Stencil: de levensgrote sjablonen die hij al eind jaren zeventig maakte, maken hem tot een van de grote pioniers van de wereldwijde street art-beweging. Hugo Kaagman heeft bepaald niet stilgezeten de laatste dertig jaar: hij beschilderde muren en gebouwen over de hele wereld, bewerkte vliegtuigstaarten met Delftsblauwe motieven (tot ongenoegen van Margaret Thatcher), en ontwikkelde zich van old school politiek actieve kunstenaar tot een hedendaagse urban artist. Hij was dan ook de enige Nederlandse afgevaardigde die door Banksy en Tristan Manco werd uitgenodigd op het door hen georganiseerde Cans Festival in 2008.
Punk Files The best of the KoeCrandt art 1977 - 1983 Artwork/Concept/Graphic design  Hugo Kaagman Edition of 50 copies, signed and numbered, plus canvas painting  ISBN/EAN  978-90-812458-6-9   Financial Support Mondriaan Fund, 2012 Litography/Printing  Bernard Ruijgrok Piezografie