Chronicles of the Rooftop Creeper

by Michael Zallie

In the decaying, impoverished urban landscapes of Philadelphia, street crews etch words of hope, love, and redemption, their scrawling messages leaving their mark all over the city. Some call these crews vandals—others call them artists.

Over a six-year period, photographer Michael Zallie took to the streets to catch graffiti artists in their natural environments: areas fraught with danger, violence, poverty, urban decay, and more. Chronicles of the Rooftop Creeper is the culmination of that work—a raw, uncut visual diary which offers the reader a glimpse into the mysterious Philadelphia graffiti scene and the artists, madmen, and street poets who run it. These artists are the living, breathing voice. Discover how graffiti artists find beauty in chaos and carve out their position as the living, breathing voice of the streets, and witness their multi-generational mission to be heard.