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Cool S
Graffiti symbol From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Cool S, also known as the Universal S, the Super S, the Pointy S, and the Graffiti S, is a graffiti sign in popular culture and childlore that is typically doodled on children's notebooks or graffitied on walls. The exact origin of the Cool S is unknown,[1] but it became prevalent around the early 1980s as a part of graffiti culture.[2][3]
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Shape
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Perspective
The Cool S consists of 14 line segments, forming a stylized, pointed S-shape. It has also been compared to the infinity symbol.[4] The S appears to have depth, where the overlap in the center of the S and the appearance of a potential altitude change at the top and bottom of the S make it look like the S connects back to itself in the same way as the infinity symbol does.[5] The Cool S has no reflection symmetry, but has 2-fold rotational symmetry.
Construction
The Cool S is started by drawing three short vertical lines, parallel and evenly-spaced, and then drawing another, identical group of three lines below them, separated by a gap the same length as each line segment. On a Cartesian coordinate system, these segments can be described as (0,4)–(0,3) / (1,4)–(1,3) / (2,4)–(2,3) and (0,2)–(0,1) / (1,2)–(1,1) / (2,2)–(2,1). Then, two diagonal lines are drawn, each connecting two of the line segments drawn in the prior step: (0,3)–(1,2) and (1,3)–(2,2). Next, two V shapes are drawn to create the top and bottom of the shape. One is inverted: (0,4)–(1,5)–(2,4) and the other is upright: (0,1)–(1,0)–(2,1). Finally, the two open ends are connected to the diagonal segments' midpoints: (0,2)–(1⁄2,21⁄2) and (2,3)–(11⁄2,21⁄2)
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History
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The exact origin of the symbol is unclear;[6] however, it is generally considered to be an artifact of childlore,[7] meaning that it is taught by children to children over the course of generations. Some people have even reported seeing the S as early as the 1960s.[8][9]
Jon Naar's photographs of graffiti in New York City, which were taken in 1973 and published in The Faith of Graffiti in 1974, frequently contain the symbol. Jean-Michel Basquiat's artworks also occasionally feature it, such as in Charles the First, and in Untitled (Olive Oyl) it is labelled "CLASSIC S OF GRAFF".[10]
In July 2020, the S was trademarked in the United States as "The S Thing" by a man who had no involvement in its creation. However, he claimed that he does not intend to sue people for drawing it.[11]
False origin theories
Several unverified claims have been made about the origin of the Cool S. The name "Superman S" comes from a belief that it was a symbol for Superman, whose costume features a stylized S in a diamond shape, but that shape is different. It has been suggested to originate with the band Sacred Reich, but a member of the band denied this.[12] A marketing manager at Suzuki, whose logo was another purported origin of the symbol, denied that its logo ever contained the symbol.[12] It has also been suggested to be associated with the Sureños.[12] According to a prominent former detective, southern Californian gangs usually use "S-13" or "SUR" and "S" would likely not be associated with the Sureños.[12]
The symbol is widely associated with the fashion brand Stüssy. However, Emmy Coats (who has worked alongside Shawn Stussy since 1985) has stated that it was not originally a symbol of the company.[13]
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See also
References
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