Another year has passed since Jim left us, and It reminds me how fast time flies, and the importance of spending our precious time on this earth on socially and personally meaningful endeavors. Jim lived this, and a result, he added so much inspiration to my life and the lives of countless others. I miss our bagel breakfasts and philosophical talks about art and life, but I am honored that we became friends.

Thanks for helping us remember Jim. It helps me to remember all the actions & causes we shared, the work we did in our younger days. It lifts my spirits.

A true Renaissance man. I remember Jim for being at almost every meeting I was at, adding a positive presence. And of course for his presentations of public art -- focusing on political art. Thanks for the photos, which bring memories of this special man.

Happy birthday, Jim. I miss visiting you in Sac and sharing bagels with lox to stimulating conversations. You were the most engaged and enthusiastic person I’ve ever met, and thinking of you reminds me how short life is and to continue pushing to learn, experience, and embrace the beauty of the world.

Being thankful Jim was among us. Although he supported many political & social justice organizations, he brought a special "take" on these issues with his presentation of the art work of international graffiti artists. Thanks again, Jim.

I am honored to have been a friend of Jim's. When I was teaching a sociology course at UC Davis, I invited Jim to present his slide show on Spray Can Art and it was by far the best meeting of the class all semester. He was always an optimistic and enthusiastic person who inspired young and old. Whether talking to young people with no political affiliations or with "amigos della izquierda" his charisma and generosity always moved us along toward peace and better future.
Please visit the Mansion Flats neighborhood in Sacramento, at C and 14th street where a tribute for Jim has been painted by @ireneshiori. We just saw this today and it is a beautiful remembrance of Jim.

Jim was always "in the mix" as a supporter of artists and as someone interested in how they express themselves in the world. For that matter, my book came about because of his prompting me do do a book on Los Angeles graffiti. He was always a great friend and mentor. He always had encouraging words and enjoyed staying up on who was coming up in the mural community (graffiti and otherwise) and loved rolling around to different active spots in L.A. where I had the privilege of driving him in recent years. He will be sorely missed.

In 1984, Eva Cockcroft — founder of Artmakers Inc. in NYC — attended a talk by Jim about the murals in San Francisco’s Balmy Alley. The talk not only inspired Eva’s visit to the murals which opposed US interventions in Central America along with a celebration of its people’s cultures, but also Eva’s bringing together 34 artists to create the 26-mural cycle "La Lucha Continua The Struggle Continues" in Manhattan’s East Village that addressed six issues of community, national and international concern. The talk also initiated a years-long friendship and many lively and provocative gatherings over a meal in Eva’s loft — evenings that several Artmakers artists remembered with pleasure when learning of Jim’s passing. So many of the murals created in the early years of the national community murals movement are long gone, and we are forever grateful to Jim for his recognition of their importance and his wide-ranging travels to document them, thus preserving their memory. Artmakers cherishes our memories of him and extends our condolences to the entire Prigoff family. 

A magnificent smile that will be greatly missed. Volunteering at Sudha's Treasures I looked forward to that smile. Jim brought so much joy, spirit and laughter to each event. I am so glad to have been able to spend time with him.

Condolences and kind thoughts to Jim's family and friends. I enjoyed Jim's company and conversations at Explorers Club meetings in San Francisco. We told stories of life at MIT, and shared opinions about public art. I will remember him as thoughtful, respectful and happy. 

To the Prigoff Family,
As former New Rochelle neighbors, sending condolences to you all. May James’s memory serve as a blessing.

In the summer of 1988 in San Diego I went to see a lecture by Jim Prigoff, famed American photographer, author, and lecturer focusing on public murals, graffiti, and spraycan art. Near the end of the lecture he showed an image of a recent piece I had done in Oakland, and I officially lost my mind. I had certifiably “Made it” as a graff writer – since Jim had recently authored of Spray Can Art – and that day began a friendship of 30+ years. 
While the salutes surfaced from across the Graffitti Interwebs upon his passing, his Walls of Heritage Walls of Pride: Afro American Murals book he did with Robin Dunitz is as significant to history as any of the many books he made personally and championed privately. He was my introduction to many of the legends of community arts and the illustrious bay area muralists community of the 80’s and early 90’s. I rode on more than a couple voracious photographing missions with him from San Francisco to the Bronx as he was committed to documenting everything! He bugged me and bugged me to paint him, and after many years of hees and haws, I relented – to produce the only portrait I have ever made by request, a deserving tribute after his years of advocacy .
I have an email from him from last week that I had yet to respond, it was a shift from his usual political analysis to a pdf. advertising the release of some of his iconic images. Maybe a foreshadowing of his transition as his images were notoriously held close? (Though he started sharing some of them to certain graff heads in the last couple of years.) My last photo of him is just before SIP, at his desk at his home in Sacramento, still hustling and making connections for Graffiti around the world deep into his ninetieth decade of life. Goodbye “Diego” stay up. 

Condolences to the family. May his memory be a blessing.
Louise and I met Jim and Arlene when we became neighbors in 2000.
As we got to know our new neighbors we were impressed with their devotion to one another and to the energy they expended on Social Justice issues globally. As time passed and we got to know the Prigoffs better, we heard stories of what I would describe as a adventurous life, well lived.
The multifaceted couple would capture our attention for hours.
After Arlene passed, our time with Jim became even more personal. His presence in our lives will be sorely missed.
Jim was a BIGGER THAN LIFE PERSONALITY.
What a pleasure to have known both Arlene and Jim. It's comforting to know they're together again.

It is hard to imagine the world of public art without Jim Prigoff present, as a force of advocacy, enthusiasms and resourceful energy. He was a major contributor as a writer, photographer and friend to many artists. Jim had an avuncular manner that was pro-active , protective and provocative. He understood the perception and politics, the creative drive and the personality of the artwork He was generous and indefatigable cultural worker from his first works documenting Spray Can Art to comprehensive book on the Black arts movement. Because he traveled he could connect artists and movements in different places and saw the movement grow from hyperlocal to global. Deepest sympathy to Jim's family and friends for the loss of such an original and dedicated person, inspired by a sophisticated sense of art and politics and the rich friendships he created that expanded the community of creativity. L'chaim for Jim's great joie de vivre. Bravo for all he has contributed and the many people he has touched.

I also met Jim Prigoff at the University Club.. His locker was at the south corner and mine was at the north corner. We played squash doubles against each other and was fun. I had never expected that I had played against such a distinguished and accomplished person. I will miss him

It was 1987 and I was 17 when Uncle Jim and I zigzagged through the streets of San Francisco. I found myself looking at what no other new-comer tourist would see of a city and it's people. Large paintings, and intricate graffiti on walls, fences, alley doors and bridges. It was my first and lasting introduction to spray can art and the alternative voices of the street that Uncle Jim became so involved with over the years. He was a man who smiled a lot, figured things out but kept his own counsel unless asked, and worked with a passion on the social issues that society grappled with. He supported the underdog, and when it was my turn, the underdog was the "at-home-mom." I will never forget that he drove 2+ hours from Sacramento to Santa Clara to attend the Las Madres art exhibition that I had organised at the Triton Museum of Art to highlight the hidden talents and voices of at-home moms. Uncle Jim is a man who forged his own quiet path, not too concerned about what others thought of it, and he was his own harshest critic. He changed the world view and added perspective in many minds. I will always fondly remember him and pray for peace. As he always signed off, PAZ.

We will forever be grateful for Jim’s friendship, generosity and work on behalf of social justice. He and Arline helped to make this world a better place.

When I think of Jim, I see him with a big smile and a cheery greeting, and that is his image will stay with me. When he come home visiting with Sudha and Ed, and had heard that I, Sudha's sister had arrived from India, he came over. He took us to so many little nooks and corners of San Fransisco with murals and a new world opened up to me. I had never heard of before, and I saw the art, and why the artist painted it, and later on, who the artists were, in several other countries as well.
When he visited me in India, we travelled by road, he discovered with so many paddy fields, that rice was the staple in the South. Just for that, he began eating rice with us. He had visited all the seas and oceans he went to, and so we took him to our Elliots beach in Chennai. He just wore shorts and when he came out of the water, we found the sea of people looking at him as if he were god emerging out of nowhere. He, on the other hand, found it curious that all of us come to the beach fully dressed, which we still do.
He was king, generous, gregarious, and I will miss dear Jim..
Om Shanthi.

I met Jim around 1995. It was a huge moment, for me. He had reached out and wanted to meet the other person behind Art Crimes. For someone that had done so much for graffiti, murals and public art, in general, to come to my place and talk about documenting and ask a lot of questions about what was happening, meant a lot! He gave me a photo of a Jonone piece from San Francisco to publish and it's a photo I've always cherished. What a character and what a guy.

Many of us owe a huge debt of gratitude to Jim for the work he put in promoting and sharing with others that didn't know how to connect with the graffiti world.

I met Jim in the early 80's ... at the hight of the graffiti movement here in San Diego... he stimulated me to start two of the permission yards WRITERZBLOK AND BATTLEGROUNDZ ... he gave us many slide shows and presentations... I got to put his collection of SD in the UCSB multicultural archives ... he help me contact Bill Ralston when I coordinated a mural in Belfast, I loved having dinner with him ... he cooked his steaks super rare!! he always kept me in-touch with things specially after my cross-country exploits in public art, he gave me and my daughter Xochitl a amazing tour of the Bay Area and even though his feet were hurting him, he was the most activated ninety year old I have ever known, in regards to his progressive views we always had our backs ... I always agreed with his perspectives. he was very aware of the chicano art movement and knew many of us throughout the country and Latin America. bless you DIEGO. 

I am Arline’s 1st cousin from Boston. I actually knew her before Jim did even though I think they knew each other from grammar school. Jim and I worked together fir many years. I ran the manufacturing as he ran the sales. We have stayed in touch over the years and it was only last month that he shared his new pages in the Explorers Club. He was very proud of them. My late wife, Genevieve, who also came from New Rochelle, followed Jim’s career with great interest. My last recollection of him in person was when he came to Boston some years ago to give a lecture in Cambridge. He got up before the group and stripped off his more formal shirt to show his surprisingly muscled bare chest before putting on a more expressive t shirt in which he have his lecture. He was so very proud of his family when he spoke of them to me. He will be missed.

I'm saddened to learn of Jim's passing. I remember well meeting with Jim and Eva Cockcroft for multiple public art projects that he photographed. Always a kindly, passionate force. Thanks Jim for sharing your gifts.

I met Jim at the University Club's squash courts and played with him many times. His squash career was long and very distinguished. He was much more than a squash player to me. We became friends off the court and I was continually impressed by his intelligence and the scope of his interests. His enthusiasm for photographing graffiti and other spray can art was infectious. I will miss conversations with him and his emails. He enlightened my life and he will be missed.

Jim was intimately involved in our lives. Ed and I travelled to countries far and wide with him – up the Amazon, Peru, Barcelona, Italy, Ireland, Mexico and India. A consummate explorer, he delighted in discovery, and we hunted for murals around the world. During the early 80’s he was a Division President of Levi Strauss & Co. and I was fortunate to work as his GMM. When I started my own company later, he served as Chair of my Board Directors offering invaluable guidance for over 35 years. During this time , for 18 of those years, he untiringly volunteered at the Sudha’s Benefit charity Sale, counseling, taking photographs and helping Craig behind the cash counter. He became a champion of all the causes in which I was involved . I will continue to practice, in life and in business, all the important lessons he has taught me. Charity should have been his middle name and giving back was his principle in life.

Since Jim & Arlene came to Sacramento, it seemed they were at every peace & justice event. Jim's presentation of international murals, then graffiti art, was icing on the cake -- so to speak. Thanks to the family for sharing more facts of his full and generous life.

In the early 1990s I had already been photographing the murals in the North of Ireland for a decade and wanted to see up close what was happening in the world of murals elsewhere. I wrote to a few people in California whom I had read about as muralists or mural photographers. The first to respond was Jim. He arranged for me to give a couple of lectures in San Francisco and spent many hours bringing me and my partner Anna on a 'mural safari'. He visited us in Ireland in 1994 and again in 2006. In the meantime I had met him at a mural conference in Philadelphia. In 2006 his visit to Belfast coincided with the 25th anniversary of the prison hunger strike where 10 republican prisoners had died. There was a huge parade with hundreds of former political prisoners dressed in blankets as they had done to avoid wearing a prison uniform. Jim was genuinely overwhelmed by what he witnessed. Our last meeting was in 2018 when we went on another 'mural safari' in San Francisco and Oakland. I then stayed with him for a few days in Sacramento. Like Jim, I am a mural archivist rather than a muralist so there were many things we shared almost intuitively. I have never had the global range, scope, contacts or recognition that he had, but as a kind of mini-Jim could easily share his enthusiasm for the 'mural hunt', especially if the outcome was a photograph of a mural you had never seen before.
So, slán, Jim - rest in peace.

As I think about my life, almost everything is directly connected to my incredible grandparents, Grandpa Jim and Grandma Arline. Ever since I can remember and before that, they would come to visit us growing up in Canada. I travelled to places like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Hawaii, Cancun, and the Soviet Union, because of them. My grandparents took me clothes shopping before the first day of school, took us to museums and science centers, gave us books on all sorts of topics, brought us to Martin Luther King celebrations, sent me to university in San Diego, made sure I had braces (and later Stacey too), and encouraged me to learn Spanish. These are just a few of the countless ways Grandpa Jim and Grandma Arline changed my life forever. Grandpa Jim, I will miss you forever. You will always live in my heart. I looked to you for all the guidance and good advice - you were always for me. Stacey and I love you very much!

In 1982 I took Jim to Hiroshama- he wanted to see it and understand the ramifications . Tough trip for both of us as I was leaving Levi and he was taking over as my successor. Formed a bond that went above professional relationship and think we both held each other in high regard. We caught up recently when he made a presentation at the DeYoung in San Francisco .
John Schram

A wonderful man who always believed in me when others never. A great friend who I will deeply miss ,

I must have met Jim in the late 70's.  He would appear in Chicago fairly regularly for the next few years, to photograph murals. When he later became enchanted with Graf artists, we saw less of him, but Jim always stayed in touch. His photography was impeccable and his color vivid. His use of the photos was always conscientious, honest, never exploitative. He always put the art in the foreground and credited the artists scrupulously. Jim played a major role in promoting the professionalism of Graf artists especially. He met each with good spirits and loyal honesty.  We artists, both community muralists and spraycan artists, repayed his terrific promotion of our art with both great respect and love. Jim was unique. A talent, an intellect, a man with unlimited capacity for friendship. We will not see his like again. I feel I was blessed to know him, even a bit. John Weber

I am so sorry to learn of Jim's passing . I have looked forrward each week to the interesting funny articles he would send me. My recent friendship wit im was fidlled with meaning as he related his adventures and the places he and arlene had  traveled to and   most importantly his remarkable committment to social justice. i will miss him Myconcolemces to his family Betty Reuben

Helen and I first met Jim many years ago in Cancun at Dos Playas. We were new condo owners at the time and Jim helped us with the ins and outs of transacting in Mexico and in particular the 'workings' of the condo association.

In the following years we had many great conversations with Jim around murals and a common interest - sailing.

He was missed in the Dos Playas ownership community but we remained in touch.

We thought a great deal of Jim and always respected Jim for his truthfulness and sincerity. He was brilliant in his field and lived life to the fullest.

With our deepest sympathies and heart felt condolences.

Helen and Les Legg

Dearest Jim, May God grant you eternal peace after this lovely long journey of a well lived life. Your exemplary optimism and impecable attitude as a devoted husband, generous friend, infatigable explorer and a great human being leaves us a legacy of what a good life should be like. Thank you for your friendship, I am honored by it. 

I am amazed you have my email. I remember Jim so well. He and Arline gave my Dad Jack Wishnick competition for the "life of the party". It's been many years since I have seen them but memories of the New Rochelle crowd (as my mother called them )are strong . Condolences to those who mourn . Another light in the world has gone out.

And what a magnificent, well lived life! For me, it was a supreme pleasure to have known and worked with Jim for many, many decades. And I will hold him up to my generations of UCLA students in their search for meaningful lives devoted to the never-ending pursuit of social justice. Paul Von Blum

Jim and I were close friends for more than 30 years, as members of the Explorers Club, fans of the art that Jim presented through his scholarship, and as political critics. We regularly saw each other at meetings, and more often talked on the phone and by email (last time 2 weeks ago). Jim was a constant source of information and delight, and I had the highest respect for his mastery of the subject of urban art, which he taught us was not just about graphitti but more about expression. In the late 1990s he took my wife and me around San Francisco on a tour of significant public art sites, and from then forward I have been a proud "Mural Team Member" (he had many of these!). But the most endearing aspect of our friendship was his cheerful, generous, optimistic demeanor, and the belief we would be friends forever. I'm sure now that that will be the case. Thank you, Jim, for your presence in my life. Hail, and farewell. --Bob

Dear Prigoff family.
First and foremost my deepest condolences for your loss. May he rest in peace.

I made a small comment about having read Spraycan Art on the morning he passed away, and you shared that comment in the memorial writing.
Actually I was looking through the book with my kids (5 and 7 years old), talking about all the colours, the funny and beautyfull people and much more.
I guess I'm just writing to let you know that his work still inspire kids (and us grownups )around the world.
Thank you for the pics. Forever an inspiration. Rest in peace.

Lars Skouboe, Denmark.

When I was a kid, we would go snorkeling in Mexico and have drinks on the beach - I'd get a virgin strawberry daiquiri and he'd get a margarita. He would always get some margarita salt in that brown mustache - not an ounce of gray even at 90+ years old.

As time went on, I started to realize what a brilliant man he was. He always knew the best things to get at Tacolote, or fun card games and wild life. What I didn't appreciate until later was his thorough understanding of politics, finance, social justice, biotechnology, and of course art. A real expert and so humble.

When I was a little kid, Grandpa Jim would come to New York and drive us around the city to see murals.
A good driver? Far from it.
A great tour guide? The best.

He inspired my love of street art - like he did for hundreds if not thousands of others. It was just 3 weeks ago I sent him a bunch of pictures from around my apartment in NYC. A canvas here, a photo he took there, a spray can on my shelf, and a copy of Spraycan Art front and center on my coffee table. I'll treasure these forever. And I'll treasure the memories.

One of my favorite movies is a Tim Burton film called Big Fish. In it, a dying father has his son over to recant some of his tallest tales. His son has heard all of them at nauseam, never believing for a second that his father could have lived such an interesting life. In the end, at his fathers funeral, all the characters his father told about showed. Every story, no matter how tall or big, was true.
I feel in part this is how I look at my grandfather Jim Prigoff. Growing up I would hear the great tales of a man who traveled the globe numerous times, taking pictures in remote locations and meeting the strangest characters. He seemed larger than life, and in some ways was. With the passing of this great man, I have seen an immense amount of support for his work from people all across the world. World famous artists, hip hop legends and so many others showing their support for my grandfather. So many have been sharing pictures of him when he was in his infancy stages of documenting graffiti art and doing what he loved.
The tall tales he would spin have now become legend, and in turn, this larger than life figure has become a legend himself. Thanks for the stories Grandpa Jim, I will be sure to pass them to my son to continue the adventure.