Urban Cars

Cities these days are ever more focused on moving people away from cars—emphasizing public transit, pedestrianism, and other forms of eco-friendly circulation. But cars have a long history in urban life, and, seen through the right lens, the conjunction of the two can be captivating.

            Douglas Ljungkvist’s camera is the right lens. For more than a decade now he has been photographing vintage cars on city streets, mostly in Brooklyn. This book presents the unforgettable fruits of that project: 125 images of cars in their urban context. Discovering the now-classic bodies and design of 1960s and ’70s cars on city streets, tucked away in alleys, hidden amid industrial detritus, Ljungkvist discovers something magical: a time capsule, taking us back to a period when ecological concerns and gas prices didn’t impinge on design, and when American cars, big and bold, were at the heart of popular culture.
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            A love letter to the automobile and the city alike, Urban Cars is a testament to Ljungkvist’s vision, and to the striking beauty hidden all around us.