graffiti archaeology

Graffiti is the chameleon skin of the urban landscape. Equal parts public art and vandalism, virtuosity and subversion, it is among the most ephemeral forms of human expression. Graffiti walls are repainted frequently, as different writers compete and collaborate on the public canvas. A given piece may last years, weeks, or mere hours. For graffiti writers, this is expected and in fact fundamental to their process, which they perceive as an ongoing dialogue. However, most city dwellers experience this constant change only at a subconscious level.

Artists and photographers have been documenting the changes through time of graffiti in cities like San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles. Graffiti Archaeology is an interactive timelapse collage of photographs taken at the same location by many different photographers over a span of several years.