Third Rail Books

The Street Art of Sin City: Book Reveals the gritty graffiti that decorates the walls, sidewalks and tunnels away from the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas Strip

Diver mural in the Las Vegas Art District by the Stencil Network. Photographed in 2013. It is one of the examples of street art shared in William Shea and Patrick Lai's Street Art Las Vegas

By CLAIRE TOUREILLE FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 04:16 EST, 29 December 2019 
UPDATED: 04:16 EST, 29 December 2019

  • William Shea and Patrick Lai captured street art of Las Vegas in beautiful book 
  • Includes impressive full-wall murals of an anglerfish, and snail shaped like skull 
  • The book also boasts intricate graffiti art scattered around the city walls  

Think ‘Las Vegas‘ and you’ll likely conjure images of the glitz and glamour of the strip. But away from the casinos, gamblers and theatres, there is a rich world of vibrant, gritty street art, which has been documented in a new book. 

Photographers William Shea and Patrick Lai collaborated on Street Art Las Vegas, published by Smallworks Press, which showcases the amazing street art and graffiti that sprouted up around Sin City between 2012 and 2018. The book documents works from well-known artist, such as Shephard Fairey, Tristan Eaton, D*face and Retna, as well as anonymous talents. 

Mural by Norwegian stencil artist Martin Whatson, in Las Vegas, photographed in 2016
This surreal butterfly by Ana Marietta was photographed on Casino Center Boulevard in 2013
Angry Woebots, AF, AOS by Aaron “Angry Woebots” Martin aka “Woes Martin” in 2012
BMD, 2016. Lai and XX noted that street art in Downtown Las Vegas offered something for everyone, from environmental and political messages to absurd art
A fish painted on a row of bungalows located at Hoover Avenue and Casino Center Boulevard in Las Vegas. The area has seen a high turnover of street art from 2012 until 2018
Spray can art by Recycled Propaganda, on Main Street, photographed on an unknown date
A skull spraypainted on West Colorado Avenue by an unknown artist. Photographed in 2014
An enormous bleeding Iguana by ROA, photographed not too far from Main Street, in 2016
Writing resembling a tank on South Casino Center Boulevard. Taken on an unknown date
Codak, Ras One by modern cubist artist Doze Green. Photographed in Las Vegas in 2013
Silhouettes by Matt Ortego, photographed in 2013. He is a born and bread Las Vegas artist
Snail and skull art by Alexis Diaz, a Puerto Rican artist. Photographed in Las Vegas in 2013
Street Art Las Vegas, by William Shea and Patrick Lai and published by Smallworks Press is available to purchase on Amazon. The cover of the book features art by Tristan Eaton

Street Art Las Vegas, by William Shea and Patrick Lai and published by Smallworks Press is available to purchase on Amazon