City Beneath: A Century of Los Angeles Graffiti

Graffiti aficionados might be surprised to learn that the earliest documented graffiti bubble letters appear not in 1970s New York, but in 1920s Los Angeles - and that these graffiti marks first carved at the turn of the century are still spray painted on walls today. This lavishly illustrated and photographed book tells stories of small moments that collectively built into broad statements about power, memory, landscape, and history itself, all appearing in bold statements on brightly spray painted walls. Whether describing daredevil kids, bored workers, or clandestine lovers, this book  profiles the experiences of people who remain underrepresented in conventional histories, revealing the powerful role of graffiti as a venue for cultural expression.