Graffiti Artists Take Over 60 Floors of Abandoned LA Skyscrapers

A group of street artists in Los Angeles has turned the abandoned Oceanwide Plaza complex into a massive canvas, spray-painting nearly 60 floors of three unfinished skyscrapers. The action, which occurred overnight in recent weeks, has drawn attention to the site's five-year abandonment. Susan Phillips, a professor at Pitzer College and urban art expert, called it 'perhaps the most legendary action in the history of Los Angeles' in The Washington Post. Aerial footage by Chop 'Em Down Films went viral on social media. The $1 billion project by a Chinese developer stalled in 2009, leaving the towers near Crypto.com Arena derelict. The city council has approved nearly $4 million to remove the graffiti, secure the site, and erect a barrier. Street artist Aka, one of the participants, told Hyperallergic: 'A $1 million fence won't keep anyone out. It's a waste of money. They need to finish that project or demolish it to start something that will be completed.'