BOOK REVIEW: DON1, The King from Queens by Louie KR.ONE Gasparro
by illmatical
In the year 4050, in a far universe, in the galaxy of aerosol dreams where each planet is protected by an atmospheric layer of vivid multicolored wild styles and throw-ups, in the heart of the All City planet, where temples have been erected for CHAIN3, NOC167, BUTCH2, TRACEY168, DONDI and PHASE2, warriors of each temple will cease fighting for a moment of peace. During the brief tranquility, all eagerly gather at the footsteps of the empress’s palace; awaiting word from a distant warrior who was sent to the ends of the galaxy.
This lone warrior was sent back to the planet of Earth. In the footsteps of a failed mission, following a legend, the warrior would arrive at an abandoned space station, erected by a research team years ago. This group of scientist and warriors who failed to return to the graffiti galaxy, after years of excavation, had unearthed the legend of paper and there in their laboratory, in a sealed chest remained on the of the last remaining “books.”
The warrior, trembled when he opened the case, overwhelmed with joy, he sent a telepathic message to the All City Planet’s emissary, who stood at the footsteps of the palace, in front of an uncountable number of warriors; men and women, young and old who had momentarily embraced peace, awaiting the message from the distant warrior.
***TELEPATHIC TRANSMISSION FRAGMENT***
DON 1 THE KING FROM QUEENS is a 128 page book, detailing the graffiti career of Joseph Palattella. The book was written and produced by established aerosol artist Louie KR.ONE Gasparro.
In this book, KR.ONE places emphasis on graffiti as an art form and how DON 1’s legacy as a style master was created. The book includes his evolution, his brevity as a toy, to his rapid ascension to the throne.
The 35mm images in the book, the majority of which were taken by DON 1; document his stylistic development. Although the images could stand on their own, KR.ONE and a number of credible graffiti writers, have managed to recreate DON 1 through story; helping the reader appreciate how how important DON 1 was to aerosol art from an aesthetic standpoint.
DON 1’s story is essential for graffiti neophytes and historians. The King from Queens honed his skills at one of the most influential art hubs in New York City; not the writers bench, at Art & Design High School aka All City High, which until this publication, hasn’t received credit for its role in the development of New York City graffiti movement.
The only thing missing is more of DON 1’s personal story, why he was compelled to create, but truthfully, if you’ve known any graffiti writers, it’s not something they wanted to do, it was something they had to do.
DON 1 was no exception. A talented artist who happened to get involved with the genre known as graffiti.
***TELEPATHIC TRANSMISSION COMPLETE***
There after receiving the telepathic transmission, the intergalactic emissary rushed to the throne room of the empress, who had remained secluded for nearly a century. There, the emissary displayed words and images to the empress who sat on her wild styled embezzled throne.
Each image brought the empress to her first encounter with the feeling known as happiness. As she delightfully digested the visual wizardy, she wept, overwhelmed with joy. For the first time in nearly a century, she uttered words later chronicled in the great universal halls for the next twenty millenniums.
“Damn yo. He was good.”
Upon hearing the empresses words, the emissary echo them to the great crowd gathered at the palace steps, each one raising a can; they replied in unison: “All hail, DON 1, the King from Queens!”
