Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Jackie DiBiase - Genius Loci: "My Essence of L.A."
Empowerment
All work and no play.
Sunglasses at the Getty
Photo Cred: Jennifer Rhodes
Nowhere to Grow
LAXadaisical
-- Jackie DiBiase
Claire Ensey -- Genius Loci
This photo was taken at the Promenade at Howard Hughes Center around sunset. It wasn't very dark out yet, but the lights were already brightly lighting up the entire center. To me, this picture is the essence of Los Angeles because of the colored lights, clear sky and tall buildings in the left corner. The neon lights at Howard Hughes kind of remind me of a video game or arcade. Every sign is a different bright color and together it looks vivid and colorful. It reminds me of L.A. because L.A. is colorful and bright, full of excitement and creativity. A shopping center lighted up in this way might be ridiculous in another city, but it is perfect for Los Angeles.
This photo was taken on a street corner in Santa Monica near Third Street Promenade. The pole with the freeway and one way signs, along with the cars and trees in the background are the essence of L.A. Everyone knows that freeways and traffic are a big aspect of Los Angeles. This sign is L.A. to me because there are many of these all over the city and there are constantly "only" lanes that lead to a freeway or main street. There are usually three lanes on streets and arrows pointing in every direction telling you where to go. You don't find this in other cities that aren't as vast as L.A. This particular sign leads to the I-10 highway and Olympic Blvd., two busy areas in the city. The "One Way" sign is also funny because it is typical of how difficult it can be to get around in L.A. by car.
This photo was also taken near Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. It is before you get to the Promenade and right across the street from the newly built Santa Monica Place. This building reminds me of Los Angeles because of the modernity of the architecture. It looks new and abstract, like it could be art. All around the building there are these panels in different colors that you can see some of in this picture. The building is very silver and metal looking, but then there are these colorful columns. It reminds me of the crazy architecture you can see in many parts of L.A. It also reminds me of Santa Monica because it is the Santa Monica Civic Center as it says on the sign. I have no idea what the exact purpose of the building is, but I saw it and immediately knew there was something essential about it.
This photo was taken on Main St. in Venice. I saw it and pulled over to take a picture unexpectedly because I had actually never noticed it before. When I saw it, it reminded me of L.A. because it is a random mural on a busy street. Murals are all over Los Angeles and especially Venice. This one says "you are beautiful" and it's huge. It's weird that I never saw it before because it's on Main St. in Venice, obviously meant for everyone to see. I like it because it's so different and pretty and inspirational. Where do you randomly see "you are beautiful" painted across an every day building on a main street in bright red and white? Los Angeles, of course.
This photo was taken around Rose St. in Venice. It's the side of the building of a pink Hindu Temple. It reminds me of L.A. because it is pink and stands out, but it's also a religious temple. The bikes against the building are also symbolic of Los Angeles because many people ride bikes here.
Ryan Cavalier -- Genius Loci
Think about what L.A. feels like to you. What is it that makes you know you’re here. In other words, when you think about L.A. what do you think of?
# 375 (Sun Half-Set on The Cowboy Couch)
Los Angeles sets the cowboy, hero of the West, half-warm from the now waning sunset, in the foreground. Scattered in the distance, which once proudly stood as the unconquered, an un-tethered beast, lies the soggy remains of westerners come to perish. The shuttered reality outsiders once drank from beckoning hands emblazoned with “The Times” has since been hacked to pieces by the light of day, and the feelings of Western comfort once rested upon by Angeleno and outsider alike, unveils its woven, textured colors.
Alec Manhattan
Los Angeles is an ultimatum – win or go home, stumble, don’t fall. When I was taking this photo in Manhattan Beach, a place overlooking the water from a friend’s roof deck I saw an ultimatum come to life before me. Alec, a writer friend, was walking along the narrow deck edge, metaphorically straddling victory, staring down defeat by broken ankle. Beneath his tightrope stretch the decrepit shadows of people, dreams, actions come to pass. Above him stretch the bountiful potentialities people like Alec and myself flirt with. Nevertheless, to his fore stretches a line he teeters along half in certainty of himself, half in fear.
Sunned Glasses
Angelenos have very strong ocular muscles. I have never been glared at more, looked down upon, shunned, etc in any city. When I walk down the street – whether in Westchester, Downtown, in Venice or Beverly Hills – I feel the presence of others upon me; ‘the gaze’ some call it. Angelenos often wear sunglasses, a great metaphor speaking to the need to shut out what is harmful to your wellbeing. Living in Los Angeles comes with the notion that citizens may need to block out negative realities in order to have the privilege of enjoying the bounty that is LA. Notice how the lenses are worn, much like a windshield can tell a tale of distance by volumes of splatter, we too can ascertain the distance traveled, and the bullshit deflected by looking closely. We need to shield ourselves from the reality of traffic with waves of music, the heat of summer with good air-conditioning and the beach. The privilege of living in LA comes at a cost – much as the beachgoer won’t forget their shades, an Angeleno is equipped with iPod, car and air-conditioning.
Legs Gesture
In many American cities public transportation is a divider of class, a segregator of race and an institution with whom involvement carries a direct correlation with affluence or lack thereof. I took this photograph on a public bus because I enjoyed the color contrast between the brown and teal, and upon further analysis and reflection determined has deep symbolic value.
Limbs have a language of their own, and if my translation is correct the legs wearing boots aren’t very excited to see the teal high-tops. The color symbolizes race clearly, and hand placement says something to the effect that one’s presence brings uneasiness upon the other.
Los Angeles feels to me as a place where space is precious, and seemingly vital to our mental health as Angelenos. When on the freeway, getting too close can earn you the finger, or worse, a high-speed case of road rage. Wearing the wrong color, although in serious decline since the death of Tookie Williams, can get you into some turmoil. Parking in your neighbor’s spot is grounds for towing, and often in spite the offended won’t let you know they plan on towing until the deed has ben done. Angelenos are high-stress, cigarette smoking, woosa-saying, yoga-straddling, hike-digesting, chewed up and spat out humans – watch where you step.
Introspection by ISO
I walked out of my Westchester home fiddling with my camera, it had been a while since I had used it and I wanted to test how certain shutter speeds intersected with different ISO sensitivity settings. Basically I wanted to test how sensitive the image sensor in my digital camera is to light in various settings. I am an avid fan of contrast in life, music, and art. Coincidentally I found that when you shoot someone’s shadow on a bright day with high sensitivity – which ultimately blasts everything with sensitivity, leaving the shadow in stark contrast to how shadows normally look – you can make a statement. I shot this photo on my front lawn, back toward the westward ducking sun. This image transcends the way I feel about myself when I am in Los Angeles, amid the sun, the gaze, the smog, the culture, the attitude. I feel I must block out all negativity with positivity. With calculated blasts of light and sensitivity I can grow as, and into a genuine individual. With proper introspection in a land as rich in possibility as mis-steps, seldom will I abandon knowledge my shadow so blatantly affords me.
Jaide Garcia - Genius Loci: "Artistic Spirit"
THIS first picture says so much about the hidden spirit of L.A. because it captures how amazing aspects of the city are underrated. The Watts Towers are a huge landmark being represented on a tiny sign that shares a post with a "Dead End" sign, adding irony to the location. The Charles Mingus Youth Arts Center is another development in the area worthy of more attention.
I went to South Central to find the hidden spirit of L.A. The community of Watts has so much history and culture that makes it a target for attention. Unfortunately, most of that attention is negative. After the Watts Uprisings in 1965 the neighborhood's reputation has gone from bad to worse. If you google Watts or Compton the first things to pop up are articles about gangs, the historical 'Riots' or NWA. However, in recent years the community has set out to re-establish itself and draw attention to the professional athletes, musicians and artists that it has produced. The Watts Towers have served as a symbol of pride and have spurred many artistic developments in the area. The sad thing is that the towers are mainly known internationally and by those proximally close to the community. I grew up near L.A. and I had never heard about the towers until this year. Many native Angeleno's that I've talked to didn't know what they were either! Yet they are recognized internationally as a great piece of art and visited by foreign tourists all the time.
--The second picture is self-explanatory and reveals the lack of care shown to our city's up-keep.--
A sight like this is definitely common while walking the streets of L.A. As depressing as it is it still represents the spirit of the city because of the consumerism followed by waste that is prevalent here. There is a lack of pride in the presentation of neighborhoods and streets that is evident through the mediocre response of tourists. When people visit L.A. what they see is what they get, but usually not what they expected. It may be embarrassing and yet we all still contribute to it.
--The third and fourth pictures capture the 'street art' that is popularly found in the L.A. area.--
There is real beauty to be found in these pictures. I am the least artistic person in the world so when I see things like this on the side of the road I am amazed before I am irritated. The spirit of this neighborhood in particular is displayed in the art found all over its city. Many graffiti artists have one way to share their voice and this is the only way they know how to be heard. In the same way there are many people who come to L.A. to pursue their form of art and follow their passion, even if it is misunderstood by those around them.
--The fifth and sixth picture are of a house and art center on 107th street in Watts. Many of the houses have unique styles and patterns on them in light of the towers that are directly outside their window. The art building was painted by members of the community over 30 years ago and is now used by their children.--
As disconnected as L.A. may be, there are still areas with a strong sense of community. The multiple areas within L.A. each have their own identity, but it is a collective identity. Areas such as Watts, Glendale, La Mirada, Yorba Linda and many others are segregated by ethnicity. As much as I don't like the segregation, I respect the close environment found in those places. There is so much individuality represented within the region that creates its own distinctive atmospheres and this picture represents one of the strongest cases of community spirit.
Last but not least, this location hidden at the end of 107th street in Watts represents the spirit of cultural diversity found in L.A. Although the neighborhood is predominantly African American and Latino, it once was home to people of German, Italian, Chinese, and Japanese descent as well. It was truly a cultural melting pot that served to bring people together and connect the creative aspects of many backgrounds. This neighborhood was a part of the "California Dream" that attracted many travelers and immigrants in the early 20th century. L.A. may lack many things, but the spirit of diversity will always be prevalent no matter where one finds themselves.--J.Garcia
Chelsea Vogt -- Genius Loci: Essence of LA
This picture was taken atop the escalator of the Beverly Center in Beverly Hills. If you look closely, you can see the stem of a rainbow among the clouds in the distance. This picture (to me) emphasizes LA's essence because although some may perceive the city negatively, one can always find beauty amidst the glorious metropolis.
The Ahmanson Theatre located directly off of the 101 Freeway and the famous Figueroa St. features a multitude of broadway plays and musicals. The structure has been around for 40 years and has an ongoing fountain in the front of the plaza. This architectural structure illustrates one of the gems LA has to offer adjacent to a freeway onramp.
This mural off of Main St. in Venice captivates the reoccurring theme of graffitti art in LA. "Remember Who You Are" depicted on the wall further emphasizes the distinctiveness of Los Angeles as a whole.
As I was driving down a residential street in Santa Monica, I noticed the palm trees looked symmetrical and almost iconic. This picture was taken as the sun was setting and reminds me of my hometown in Huntington Beach. This photograph captures LA's essence in my perspective, because I found a little piece of home in the place I now consider my second home.
This picture was taken on Rose St. in Venice. I pulled over immediately because I saw an array of murals and graffiti on these walls and thought this is definitely a signature of Los Angeles.
-Chelsea Vogt
Weston Finfer - Genius Loci
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