Drago – Street art publisher

Praise for Scala Mercalli

[Arte]

L’anno del dragone. Paulo von Vacano da lezioni di street art […] Trafficanti di informazioni. Così si definiscono quello della Drago. Casa editrice d’arte con quartier generale a Roma. Segni particolari: non solo libri ma eventi, mostre, conferenze. Insomma, comunicazione a 360 gradi.

The Age of the Dragon. Paulo von Vacano gives Street art a lesson. Information pusher. This is how they define themselves. Art publisher, headquarters in Rome. Particular signs: not only books but also conferences, events, exhibition: 360° of communications.

[L’Unità]

“Ma il fenomeno è inarrestabile - avverte Paulo von Vacano, al timone della casa editrice Drago - La street art rappresenta il futuro e sta conquistando i palazzi. Questa mostra suggella il connubio tra centro e periferia, strada e sistema.”

This is an unstoppable movement - says Paulo von Vacano, the head of Drago publishing house - Street art represents the future, and it’s going to conquer palaces. This exhibition confirms the marriage between center and suburb,  street and system”.

[Marie Claire]

E’ nata dalla voglia di usare la creatività fuori dai linguaggi dell’arte con la a maiuscola, e anche se probabilmente non lo ha mai progettato, la Street Art, con il suo mix pop di pensieri, graffiti e parole, alla fine è sbarcata anche nelle gallerie e nei musei. In Italia è sbarcata trent’anni fa e oggi un volume le rende omaggio. Scala Mercalli: il terremoto creativo della Street Art italiana (ed. Drago) ripercorre, con l’effetto di una scossa tellurica, l’esplosiva liason tra strada, grafica e fumetto. In bilico fra musica, grafica e (tanta) poesia.

Street art was born from the desire to use creativity outside from the formal language of art and probably no one could have predicted it, but Street Art, with its pop mix of thoughts, graffiti and words, at the end comes in galleries and museums. In Italy, Street Art arrived thirty years ago, and today there’s a book about it. Scala Mercalli: the creative earthquake of Italian Street Art (Drago publishing) goes through, as a telluric shock, the exploding liason between street, graphics and comics. It’s poised between music, graphics and (a lot of) poetry. 

[B>]

What stops Street Style from seeing the light of day in Europe? “Nothing” would be the right answer, but prohibitions, even though they are not openly stated, are there and need to overcome. And this is what makes street arts what they are. They are prevented from coming out but they exist. Their presence cannot be denied. However, “S-style” is also the name of a program of exhibits and meetings with brand manager, artists, designer and journalists created and presented during fashion week at the FNAC in Milano by Drago. Curt and rude with its publications, Drago is far ahead of the pack in the development of this new lifestyle.