A seminal 1967 photobook by Edward Ruscha, documenting Los Angeles parking lots from an aerial perspective with a detached, conceptual approach.

Thirty-Four Parking Lots is a seminal artist book by Edward Ruscha, first published in 1967. The work consists of a series of aerial photographs documenting various parking facilities across Los Angeles. Ruscha commissioned a professional photographer to capture these sites from a helicopter, resulting in a detached, objective perspective that removes the human element from the urban environment.

The book is an example of the artist's interest in the vernacular of the American West. By presenting these mundane spaces as subjects for artistic study, Ruscha subverts traditional expectations of what constitutes a worthy photographic subject. The images are printed with a high degree of clarity, allowing the viewer to observe the geometry of the asphalt, the markings of the parking bays, and the occasional vehicle. The lack of narrative or emotional content is intentional, as the artist sought to create a neutral record of the city's infrastructure.

This publication is often associated with the rise of Conceptual Art in the 1960s. It prioritises the idea behind the work over the aesthetic qualities of the individual images. The layout is sparse, with the text providing only the necessary information to identify the project. The repetition of the subject matter across the pages creates a rhythm that reflects the sprawling nature of the city itself. As a piece of documentation, it captures a specific moment in the development of Los Angeles, providing a record of urban planning and land use that remains relevant to contemporary observers of city life. The work is a study in the aesthetics of the ordinary, stripping away the romanticism often associated with the American urban experience to reveal the stark reality of its design.