The Hamburg Stencil Archive upgrade is complete, with a batch of new images from TXMX.
Hamburg's archive has around 850 photos, mostly thanks to the obsessive photography of TXMX. After spending the week with this city's amazing work, dating back to 2002, we also decided to update TXMX's personal archive as well. Yes, he has spent time making stencils, spraying them on walls and stickers, and getting up in the streets. One Stencil Archive sometimes uses the "we" pronoun is because of amazing contributors like TXMX.
Back during a freezing January 2009, I went to Hamburg as part of the Stencil Nation book tour. It was a visit full of amazing people, fun times, and great memories thanks to TXMX. He set up all the connections, the exhibit and presentation space, and even let me stay in his studio. I managed to snap many photos and not freeze my fingers off (cafe breaks were key to survival). That stay helped me learn that we are indeed all connected in one big Stencil Nation.
Now, every January or February, I get an email from TXMX with photos of stencils he has snapped. He doesn't get around as much as he used to, but I always look forward to hearing from him. And I am always hoping that some day I'll be able to head back to St. Pauli and the amazing covered walls of Hamburg. My heart always tells me "soon!"