Information
About the Event
Urban Spree presents "WITH ONE EYE OPEN", a docuseries in 4 parts about the role of photography in capturing/archiving graffiti actions which each episode focused on one photographer: Alex Fakso, Cat Cent Cat, Edward Nightingale, and MIA Crew.
The series is directed by Jonathan Pieterse, curated by Jasper van Es, with soundtrack by Niels Matitawaer.
The screening will be hosted in the B-Dome, the 360° immersive cinema next to Urban Spree, followed by a Q&A with the authors, Alex Fakso and the audience. The episodes have a total duration of 30 minutes.
IMPORTANT:
Entry to the screening is donation-based to help fund the costs of the screening and the authors' expenses. To better manage the event, we kindly ask you to register here by buying a free ticket. In case of affluence exceeding capacity, we will program a second screening right after the first one.
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1002228334
Episode 1: The Trainwriter
Sydney, Australia - Follow a graffiti writer from the MIA crew as he hits the Sydney metro, marking the first time a metro in Australia has been painted. The goal of having the piece travel through the city is cut short when the graffiti is quickly removed after the photos are taken. This episode explores the idea of creating something just for the photo, without the original intention of graffiti: going in traffic so people could see the piece rolling by.
Episode 2: Cat Cent Cat
Paris, France -Analog photographer @catcentcat captures the essence of his journeys through the multi-layered city. His spontaneous shooting style fills his film rolls with surprises, reflecting the vibrancy and unpredictability of Paris. The city’s liveliness determines what ends up on his film, making each picture a vivid memory.
Episode 3: Edward Nightingale
Hamburg, Germany - This episode follows Edward Nightingale, a graffiti photographer operating in a city where the vandalsquad is highly active and organized. Watch as Edward Nightingale meticulously plans and executes a mission with the graffiti writer Rache, showcasing the careful coordination and preparation needed in a high-risk environment.
Episode 4: Alex Fakso
London, UK - Dive into the extensive archive of Alex Fakso, an Italian graffiti photographer active since the early '90s. This episode offers insights into his creative approach, showing the evolution of his work as you scroll through his collection. Fakso's photography pushes boundaries, with images that escape the frame and send political messages, echoing the inherent rebelliousness of graffiti itself.
WITH ONE EYE OPEN – EXPLORING GRAFFITI PHOTOGRAPHY
With One Eye Open is an ode to photography in graffiti. From the images that helped graffiti spread worldwide to today’s writers who consider the photograph the final artwork. For many, it offers a rare glimpse into a hidden world, while also presenting a series of remarkable photographic projects.
The project began with an exhibition in Eindhoven (NL) in the summer of 2024, curated by Jasper van Es at Pennings Foundation. A strong line-up of international legends alongside local, unknown makers drew a packed opening and visitors from all over Europe.
The exhibition offered a rare look into the hidden world of graffiti, tracing the evolution of photography within this vibrant and ever-changing art form, where works are often temporary and illegal. Photography preserves this fleeting culture by documenting not just the end result, but also the process and the makers themselves.
Like graffiti writers, these photographers work under challenging conditions, facing both physical dangers and legal risks. Their presence at actions often increases the risk for the writers they capture. Over time, documentation has shifted: what started as simple recording has grown into a dynamic art form that tells the full story of graffiti—sometimes without showing the piece itself. The best photographs are published in magazines, books, and increasingly online, where a strong image often outshines a simple record of the work.
We also explored how photography has moved beyond documentation, where the focus is not just on the aesthetics of the photo or the graffiti piece, but on creating new concepts and artworks with photography at the core. Influential projects were shown alongside hidden gems unknown to the wider public.
The title With One Eye Open carries a double meaning: it refers both to the way a photographer looks through the lens and to the constant alertness required when photographing, during and after the action. The exhibition opened a window into a world unknown to many and was well received, soon followed by a pop-up at Blind Walls Film Fest in Breda (February 2025). Yet it was the specially developed video series that carried the story further out into the world.
Bios:
Jasper van Es (1982) is a Dutch curator and creative producer working at the intersection of urban art, graffiti, and art in public space. With over 15 years of experience—and a past as a graffiti writer—he has curated dozens of exhibitions, interventions, installations, lectures, and workshops, both independently and in collaboration with cultural institutions, festivals, and municipalities. He was curator of projects such as #ViralVandals and Repainting Subway Art. He also coaches young makers and develops educational art programs. With With One Eye Open, he aims to highlight the often underestimated artistic value of graffiti documentation.
Jonathan Pieterse (1994) is a filmmaker and photographer from Amsterdam. His work moves between art and documentary film, where aesthetic cinematography meets raw reality. He started out documenting graffiti and grew into a maker exploring broader themes of identity and urban culture. His films and photographs have been shown at film festivals and in exhibitions. After completing his BA, he worked for VICE News, among others. His film City: Work of Fiction won the award for Best Short Film at Blind Walls Film Fest in 2023. His current film In Decay—an abstract art film created in collaboration with Kenneth Letsoin—is now on view at the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam.
Alex Fakso (1977) is an Italian street photographer and artist, based in London. He began in the early 1990s capturing graffiti and skateboarding culture in Italy, and later studied photography at the Arts Institute in Cittadella. Fakso works both analog and digital, constantly exploring new forms. His images of graffiti writers in train yards, tunnels, and night missions are powerful and atmospheric. In recent years, he has experimented with a wide range of materials and visual deconstruction. His books Heavy Metal and Fast or Die have become cult classics. Fakso has exhibited worldwide, from Le Grand Palais in Paris to shows in Tokyo, São Paulo, and Los Angeles.
LINKS / SOCIALS
With One Eye Open
www.jaspervanes.nl/withoneeyeopen
https://www.instagram.com/with_one_eye_open_expo
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1002228334
Jasper van Es
www.jaspervanes.nl
https://www.instagram.com/jaspervanes
Jonathan Pieterse
https://vimeo.com/jonathanpieterse
https://www.instagram.com/jonathanpieterse
Alex Fakso
www.fakso.com
https://www.instagram.com/alexfakso/
CatcentCat
https://www.instagram.com/catcentcat/
Edward Nightingale
https://www.instagram.com/edward.nightingale/
