Tattooed London

I guess most of us play with the word ‘graffiti’ and refer to aerosol illustrations? Quick! Get the bucket of soapy water? ‘Graffiti’ actually stems from an Italian word which means to scratch into outer layers, so as to reveal underlying hues.

This ancient derivation kinda pleases me. I’ve often found myself in front of graffiti with my camera. I can’t help it. And when I show my snaps to friends, I always end up trying to justify why I took them.

And why do I take them? Simple. Graffiti reveals something beneath the obvious glossy layers that wrap this city. The tattooed faces of walls stare back at us with deep traces of memories and the stories of people. Listen closely.