The American photographerâs work has been exhibited in museums and galleries, and published widely in magazines including National Geographic and Natural History. Her first book, Subway Art (Thames & Hudson, 1984), is still in print. The publication was a collaboration with Henry Chalfant and is affectionately called the Bible by graffiti artists worldwide. In another book of hers, Street Play, she writes the following about New York neighbourhoods in flux:
The Cityâs poorer neighbourhoods had the richest street life and my favourite location was Alphabet City, north of Houston Street between Avenues A and D. Back in the 70âs the area was undergoing extensive urban renewal, a process still continuing some twenty-five years later. At the time the neighbourhood had more than its share of drug dealers and petty criminals.
[âŠ.] today the neighbourhood is transformed. New buildings stand in place of the razed tenements. Artist moved in and attracted a variety of small restaurants and off-beat boutiques. All and all itâs changed for the better but I havenât seen a child with a go kart or a skelly cap in years.