All Rights Reserved Š Luis Fernando Rodriguez 2012 First Edition Printed in Philadelphia, PA
The so-called vandalism found in public restrooms is public art in its purest form. Unlike the traditional graffiti found on the sides of buildings, bathroom graffiti calls for immediate reaction by its viewers. Many of the pieces featured in this book are no longer in existence, or no longer in the state the original artist left it in. Words have been crossed out, cartoons drawn over, manipulated and phalluses manage to get incorporated somehow to create a new piece. The public restroom is a gallery, and everyone is welcome to contribute or edit at their own risk. This book is an attempt to preserve some of the art left behind from February through April of 2012 before it becomes altered or erased forever.
Luis Fernando Rodriguez is currently studying journalism at Temple University in Philadelphia. Throughout his life he has always stopped to check out the words and images adorning the walls of public restrooms, and at one point even contributed. In middle and high school he went on a bit of a bit of a tagging streak but stopped as soon as he realized his tag was a bit too obvious. What’s one thing he’s learned from all his years observing bathroom graffiti? “Toy Story 2 was ok.”