American skateboarder and photographer Tino Razo has spent the last few years locating and documenting abandoned and semi-abandoned swimming pools of Southern California. Together with a team of friends and skateboarders, Razo has reached (using online maps) and traversed those forgotten areas with the intention to subtract them from the indifference of Time. Armed with mops and buckets, Razo typically removes the dust, mud and detritus first from those degraded surfaces. Only afterwards does the artist seal the entire intervention of (temporary) urban re-enhancement with an incalculable number of skate sessions.

The motif of suburban decay thus comes to light through this exceptional series, whose title, Party in the Back, also refers to a book, now available through Anthology Editions.

By documenting those sessions through his unique approach with his lens, the American skateboarder has been able to bring together an interesting collection of photographs fundamentally aimed at highlighting the correlation between man and environment. The motif of suburban decay thus comes to light through this exceptional series, whose title Party in the Back, also refers to an accompanying book, now available for pre-order through Anthology Editions.

Words: Valeria Giampietro

Party in the Back by Tino Razo will be published by Anthology Editions on February 21st, 2017. Furthermore, the book will be available in a deluxe limited edition which will include a slipcase, a signed print, a double-sided poster, a collaborative Blue Haven Pools t-shirt and a swimming pool ashtray. For more info, you can visit Anthology Editions’ website.