In his first publication, comprised of two inseparable volumes with the same exact format, Chiaro/Scuro, Cokney contrasts his alternative life and work with the way it is seen by the vandal squad who, in his case, have become art-critic-prosecution-
Book 1: Chiaro – N°10012A12/10112A12, the white book.
When Cokney was released from custody after his first arrest in 2012, the police handed him two rolls of undeveloped film: rolls no. 10012A12 and 10112A12. The artist didn’t yet want to see the photos that were saved from the material confiscated for his criminal record. He will discover them, like the readers, in this first volume, which assembles interviews, memories, analyses, manifestos; texts he signed, others that were commissioned.
Book 2: Scuro – N°1203264038, the black book.
Arrested in 2012 by the anti-graffiti brigade, and searched in front of television cameras for the evening news on national TV station TF1, Cokney was fined 228,000 euros. Case N° 1203264038. Documents from the case, graphic analyses, photographs, complaints, obscure cleaning quotes, often duplicated or tripled to pump up the bill… All these documents, roughly photocopied are today considered by the artist as part of his artistic work.
More info here: www.classic-paris.com
