Murals keep ‘Graffiti’ spirit alive in downtown Modesto

You can’t cruise around downtown Modesto anymore, but a look around still offers the “American Graffiti” vibe.

Murals adorn several walls, part of the Classic Community Murals project, sponsored by ModestoView, Wells Fargo Bank and the Peer Recovery Art Project. The project got underway four years ago, and though not all of the downtown art is “Graffiti”-related, a good portion of it is.

Predating them all is what could be considered the crown jewel of “Graffiti” art, a bronze sculpture by Oakdale artist Betty Saletta.

The piece, unveiled in 1997 at the Five Points intersection where McHenry Avenue starts, depicts a boy, a girl and a car: the quintessential pieces of the “Graffiti” experience.

This story was originally published May 17, 2016 at 1:59 PM with the headline "Murals keep ‘Graffiti’ spirit alive in downtown Modesto."