50 Graffiti Photographs From Winter in Detroit by FreshPaintNYC

Enjoy a collection of graffiti pieces and landmarks in Detroit.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Photography and text by Billy Schon (@freshpaintnyc) of FreshPaintNYC

On January 31, 2014, I went on an overdue trip to get out of New York and visit Detroit for the first time. Since the city’s been getting a lot of attention in recent years, it only made sense to set out and see everything myself. I had no idea what to expect. The weather was a major concern as it was in the negative temperatures the previous week, and it had been snowing a lot.

Once the plane landed and I picked up the rental car, reality set in. I worked from random tips and research since I had no previous knowledge of the city’s layout, except for the directions to where I was staying. After 10 minutes of driving, I saw a huge NEKST roller off to the side of the highway, and I quickly pulled off at the nearest exit to get a shot of it. This was also my first time seeing one of Detroit’s many run-down neighborhoods with burnt-out houses.

Driving an economy rental car with Florida plates on icy tire tracks through un-plowed back streets was a wake-up call; things could get interesting. Aside from the goal of trying to shoot as many abandoned spots and as much graffiti as possible, the first priority was to stay safe. I had heard many stories about robberies and carjacking, so I wasn't going to take any chances. I was given some advice from locals about what to be alert for while traveling in this city with its reputation for lawlessness.

The snow drifts were built up on the sides of the streets, and pedestrians walking around had to share the roads with the cars. Pulling over, getting out of the car, and walking through the snow to get quick photos was a never-ending challenge. You also didn't want to be away from or out of your car for too long in most neighborhoods, especially on the East Side of Detroit.

Graffiti in Detroit has attracted major attention over the past several years due to the number of writers visiting from other parts of the country and the world. It was cool to see a strong presence of New York writers mixed with many writers from other states and longtime Detroit locals. Overall, it was interesting to experience and witness what I've been hearing about for years, and I look forward to going back in the warmer months.

Click through my collection of 50 Graffiti Photographs From Winter in Detroit to see the explorations that I shot over a three-day stay in the city. Enjoy.

Thanks to Jessica Lundgren for her hospitality. Rest in Peace to JAUNT, AFRIKA, and NEKST.

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PURGE and AGENT

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NIETS and ELMER

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SHANK, HIMS, and CES

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TCP CREW

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Bullet Holes in Bank Teller Window

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ELMER, YANOE, and FUCT

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KUMA, NATE and YOGRT

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NIETS, ELMER, and MINCE

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STEEL MSK

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SORI, CENO, and IDEAL

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NEKST and CHAOS

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BEGR and CHUB

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LOAD and HEAD / DAX and HAEL Highway Spot

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Highway Bomb Spot

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RATS and NIETS

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AIRES LD Crew

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GASM and ELMER LD Crew

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Trackside Bonfire

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HIMS, VISIE and CES

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STORI

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PAID, D30 BTM Crews, DONT Highway Spot

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PEAR and TRAV

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KATSU Fire Extinguisher

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TECK and DEMS

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NEKST Tribute, Using NEKST's Personal Paint by ASKEW

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Loyalty & Royalty by RISKY and REVOK MSK

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AMAZE REAS GREY

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LOAF and GITS

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MINCE and NIETS

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Rollers and Pieces Behind an Abandoned Rail Line

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Bankruptcy by AYEM and MELO

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DROID and TOUCH Rollers, REVOK, DONT, NEKST (R.I.P.), CAEM, HAVOK, DEMS

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Standing Outside Michigan Central Station

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Collapsed Floor inside the Packard Plant

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CHAOS and NEKST (R.I.P.) Highway Spot

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Roof of the Packard Plant

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Autorack Freight Passing Through the Packard Plant

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SHOCK and PEAR

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Mr. Cartoon

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Abandoned Church Stairs

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ZES MSK on the Side of a House in Detroit's East Side

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CASH4 and DROID Rollers Alongside a Major Highway, Along with REYES, DONT, OAR, TOMCAT and Detroit Legend JUSTO

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DOPE BOY MAGIC 2014

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KR (KRINK)

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Night Shot of a Soon-to-Be-Demolished Zombieland Building

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Afrika R.I.P.

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NEKST Roller on the Side of a Major Highway

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The Demolition of the Brewster Projects

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Trav MSK in a Soon-to-Be-Demolished Abandoned Building

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NEKST Tribute on the MOCAD

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