TRAIN STORIES - Taylor -
INDEX Intro................................................................. 7 March.............................................................. 8 November ..................................................... 22 August .......................................................... 40 February........................................................ 52 May .............................................................. 66 June .............................................................. 82 April ............................................................. 92 July ............................................................. 108 January ....................................................... 120 October ....................................................... 154 December ................................................... 168 September .................................................. 184
Intro Trains... Waiting for them, watching them go by, taking, losing, and loving them, afraid of them, listening to them, feeling them, smelling them, living them... But also searching, studying, observing, painting, and waiting for them again... The common thread of all my trips for years. Such a particular universe, that of stations and yards, with a life steered toward exchanges and train circulation, and yet so special and reserved at times. Trains, subways; these metal masses tied so insolently to passing time, intercultural serpents that are symbols both of constancy and indifference at the same time. An apparent impersonal coldness that is therefore associated to strange and intimate casual moments, to human encounters and adventures, like a temporary, anonymous social immersion. A strange passion and fascination, neither childish nor naive, but thoughtful and cultivated. What they represent and convey, their stories, shapes, and colors. Traveling on Earth and in my head to photograph and paint them, associating them graphically and symbolically to my creativity and to myself through the complex expression of Graffiti and writing your own name. The paradox of a hidden and affirmed identity. A Self, another Self, or a real Self, a Self born on this medium that is so intrinsically tied to movement, life, and freedom. Twelve stories of Trains and Graffiti. Different periods covering more than ten years, twelve selected and well-distinct stories that in the end make up just one story. Twelve months of the year, twelve different places. Time and space blending together to the point of getting lost in their very meaning, with the disappearance of human and cultural references. Stories where my partners will be mentioned only by their initials. Those who know, might recognize who they are, and those who do not, well, they have no need to know. Reality, recollections? Clearly, it all comes down to the pure roaming of the imagination, of surreal memories... and of oneiric escapes, or rather, of reflections. 7
- MARCH -
7
09:37 PM. A 24th of March. The TGV from Paris Montparnasse passed Hendaye first, and then the border, finally arriving at the station of Irun with a delay of more than one hour. A building divided it in two, the French side, and the Spanish side. There were no customs officers in sight on the platform. The air was pleasant, just a slight evening breeze. Only ten or so travelers got off with me. Most had gotten off at Bayonne or Hendaye. We all entered the main hall of the station. The timetable was proportional to its small size. 10:00 PM – LISBOA Oriente, Sud-Express, reservation required. This famous train still bore the name of the famous international luxury train linking Paris to Spain and Portugal. But the French part had been suppressed in 1980. At the ticket office, I inquired whether I needed a further reservation other than my InterRail ticket. So I took a seat, no couchette. The train was already on platform 1. I climbed on the coach. I was alone in the compartment but there was a large bag up above. Its owner was probably on the platform smoking a cigarette or saying goodbye. Suddenly, a loud bustle on the platform captured my attention. I got up, sticking my head out of the window that I had lowered. A group of people were gesticulating and talking animatedly in Castilian. They seemed happy and excited. Three people in their forties were arguing with an older couple. They all had lots of bags. Despite their loudness, they spoke so fast that I understood but a few words. However, it seemed like they were about to get on the train. Just in time. Guess which compartment they went to? Mine, of course! I saw the assault coming, and to avoid being squashed, I snuggled into a corner, against the window. - Buenas noches seùor! 9
TRAIN STORIES
Twelve Stories of Trains and Graffiti Taylor is a writer that is well-known for his numerous graffiti works all around the world. In TRAIN STORIES he recounts twelve unusual and epic stories that take us to the strange universe of train travels and that of graffiti on trains and metros, from Moscow to New York, passing through Barcelona, Dublin, Bucharest, Rome, and Vienna... Each story is illustrated with an exclusive photograph taken by the author himself. By following the narration of his adventures, encounters, and reflections, you will discover a fascinating underground world, often unknown and at times subject to controversy.
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ISBN 978-88-976400-7-3
9 788897 640073
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