Watercolor on paper, 9x12 in.
Statement: The LA River is a living being. We at times forget that. We relegated it to a system ever since it was converted into a flood-control channel, desensitizing its properties of material and spiritual sustenance. What was once a rapacious waterway is now mostly a drainage system for wastewater that worsens as it runs down south. The consequences of this running system disproportionately affect PoC communities. The River would not want this, it never did.
We must preserve the river’s integrity while finding ways to work with it. I believe that PoC communities and the houseless deserve to enjoy and share a synergic spiritual-cultural place with the river: a resting area where one can commune with nature, learn about the ecosystem through sustainable beautification and food garden efforts, indulge in culture through music and the performance arts, and - for whomever is houseless along the river- to be able to dwell in safety while nurturing one’s holistic health within an adjacent Rose-shaped wellness center.
The river must be seen as what it is, essential life support that allows living beings to grow, develop, and adapt. It wants to flow, and nurture. It wants to coexist with us in ritual, sharing, and renewal. Like veins, it carries life essence through the Earth's body, all the way down to its tips that open onto the Sea. Just like our blood it flows with so many stories; stories of hope, and loss.
It is time we listen to it with respect and face humanity’s systemic faults. As we commit to move the river and culture forward in unison, may we realize that we behold the resilience to manifest our wildest eco-dreams.
About the Artist: Alba Castro is a slow-blooming artist from Monterey Park. She is a roamer of LA’s varied scapes, appreciator of design in color, and a smile lover. Zine-making, graphic design, poetry, watercolor and photography have allowed her to journey freely into self-discovery. She is currently focusing on generating new print design for Dopeminas (a small business ran by her friend Laurie and herself), working on a few photo zines of imagery created in collaboration with her partner Jonathan (collectively known as Miel y Fuego), setting up online meetups for Artists, and exploring design at the intersections of architecture and feminism.
Hometown: Monterey Park
Connect: instagram: @rulfodekievan
Mixed Media, 20x24in.
Statement: My art is about surreal landscapes and memories. In this one I decided to depict part of the LA River (Hollydale Entrance) and the train tracks that are by the Azalea Shopping Center on Atlantic Avenue to serve as background for a woman riding her bike. The woman represents all the folks who often leave SELA in search for their identity. The glitter on the ground and on the woman signify that the search for self often brings us straight back home, or where we came from.
About the Artist: Joan Zamora is a mixed media artist who came to the United States illegally at the age of eight from Mexico. Her addresses have included: Bell Gardens, Panorama City, Sun Valley, London, San Francisco and East LA. She earned a bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University with an emphasis in painting and photography. She currently lives in South Los Angeles and works with special education students in Koreatown.
Hometown: South Los Angeles, CA
Contact: https://www.nisantas.org/joan , Instagram: @joan_zeta
Oil on masonite board, 17x23 in.
Statement: My work for Geofictions LA refers to the impacts that the built, industrial environment has on the experiences of our communities living in South East Los Angeles. The built environment creates the scenery people experience and negatively impacts the health of our communities, which is a deep-rooted issue we have to contend with as we move forward to revitalize the LA River.
“Looking Out My Window” reflects on the juxtaposition of the natural and industrial areas of our neighborhoods in Los Angeles. The LA palm tree is ubiquitous but also historically charged; studying the history of the palm tree sheds light on the drastic changes LA has experienced over the years. I have a good view of one of those trees from the window of my living room.
About the Artist: David Martinez is an artist, print maker and educator centralized in Los Angeles. He is a first generation American born and raised in South East Los Angeles from Durango, Mexico descendants. David holds a BA in Public Health and Art Practice from the University of California, Berkeley.
David's explores the complex effects of the built environment and collective narratives of life in Los Angeles. I make narrative scenes that refer to history, geography, biology and my own experiences in order to encapsulate and reclaim a complex urban experience in Los Angeles. I am drawn to the history of the American southwest and want to explore how the built environment, migration and internalized narratives shape new narratives we create and our trajectory into the future.
Hometown: Bell, CA
Connect: instagram: @david.arenas.martinez
Acrylic on canvas, 16x20 in.
Statement: "EL Rio de SELA" is a painting dedicated to the beautiful mountainous northern view from South East Los Angeles. It is dedicated to a moment in time. It was 2016 when I captured this photograph that in 2020 became the inspiration to my first painting with my Artist name - "Beto RoSELA. As the river begins to take its new shape in the next few years, this painting is a timestamp in the geographical history of SELA.
About the Artist: Rey Sepulveda AKA "Beto RoSELA" is a South East Los Angeles raised artist exploring different mediums of expression. The goal of my work is to inspire and uplift the next generation of SELA artists.
Hometown: Florence-Firestone
Connect: https://www.cultivartestudios.com , instagram: @betorosela @cultivartestudios
Community project documentary
Statement: Artist Sabree works with Charles Dickson to document his art making process in the creation of the Watts Towers Community Garden Gate. Community projects tend to have a lot of red tape in order to them to get completed. It is always important to put the needs and desires of the community before the interest of bureaucracy.
About the Artist: “'I am consumed with how thing work in a mechanical, creative, spiritual and political contest. As a Sculptor that has embraced many mediums, I have explored the nature of the materials that I use in order to understand and challenge their properties in traditional and unique applications. At the core of this process, is a compelling inquiry of, how do I learn to speak through the materials. To discover the truth about the materials and express the beauty of my artistic version.”
Charles Dickson, born and raised in Los Angeles, currently lives and works in Compton, CA. He is primarily a self-taught sculptor whose work has been exhibited throughout Southern California.
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Spray paint mural, 48x96 in.
Statement: Tetris uses public art as a vessel for social and community activism. “Justice for Vanessa Guillen” is a memorial to women who have lost their lives to abuses in the military.
About the Artist: Hector “Tetris” Arias graduated from CSULA in 2007 with a Graphic Design BA. In 2012, he ran a traveling mural program for LAUSD middle schools. In the program, he taught students the basics of creating murals, his team painted over 15 murals throughout Los Angeles.
Over the course of a decade he has worked with many organizations and non-profits. In 2016, he was chosen along with 5 other artists out of 68 applicants by the city of South Gate to paint utility boxes along Tweedy Blvd. He successfully completed a total of six utility boxes. Given his success with community projects, in 2017, he was accepted to be one of the artists for utility boxes by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles by Rhonda Mitchell. During the same year (2017), he painted a mural on Cesar Chavez and Cummings named “Love Our Mothers” in Boyle Heights. This mural is protected by the city.
His artistic career has continued to flourish, he was chosen to paint live at the Dodger Stadium for the “World Baseball Classics,” “Viva Los Dodgers” and for the “Dodger Foundation FunRun 5/10k”.
Tetris painted the “Dodger House” two consecutive years during the World Series (2017-2018) to support our local MLB team. Both years the “Dodger House” received major coverage by local TV stations, radio, and newspapers such as: NBCLA, FOX, Ktla, CBS, ABC, Telemundo, Estrella TV, LA Weekly, La Opinion, LAist, Sport Illustrated, Sb Nation and Erazmo y La Chokolata, along with social media. In 2018 the “Dodger House” was viewed during Game Four of the World Series on National T.V.
Most recently, on March of 2019, the Mexican Consulate of Los Angeles commissioned Tetris to paint a mural on their brand new wall that will be revealed on March 16, 2019.
With his passion for art, experience and desire to unite communities through art, Tetris hopes to open an all ages school for art in Southeast LA. Tetris was born in Michoacan, Mexico and raised in Los Angeles, California. He currently resides in the city of Bell.
Hometown: Bell, CA
Connect: instagram: @tetriswai
Digital Photography, 12x18 in.
Statement: As a landscape photographer one of my goals is to show other photographers that you do not need to travel to far out destinations to capture amazing landscapes. I see the LA River as a natural space to bring back the beauty of nature to our plains of asphalt and power lines trees.
In my photograph, I wanted to capture the power and beauty of the sun. It has this otherworldly feel to it but it is disturbed by billboards, asphalt, and power lines.
My hope is that this photograph shows that beautiful landscapes could be captured in our neighborhoods and that the LA River provides a haven for landscapes to flourish and encourage others to preserve our communities.
About the Artist: A self-taught photographer born and raised in South Gate, CA. I have been photographing for over 10+ years. My main passion is landscape photography but I always just enjoy being outside and with my camera even if it is for a cup of coffee or a walk at the park. I also run the SELA Photography Club on Instagram (SELAPhotography.Club).
Hometown: South Gate, CA
Connect: https://billymjphotography.com/ , instagram: @Billy.MJ, @selaphotography.club
Short Story
Statement: Anyone who lives in SELA has most likely run into the problem of naming their city of residence to someone who has never heard of it and defending or explaining its existence. I sure have. In this piece, I tried to do more than that. To illustrate the city of Maywood into something more than a caricature or a name on a map, and transcend it into a feeling of pride and fullness.
Maywood has been taken for granted by a lot of people for a long time. It is the home to many. I closed my eyes and walked from Randolph street to the bridge overlooking the river and downtown skyline, taking mental notes of the things that make it so special, which always are the "little" things. The words spoke, the smells, the music that dances in your ear. It's all of that and more.
About the Artist: Aidée Arellano received her Bachelor's degree from UC Riverside in Creative Writing and is currently working on her Master's degree in Bilingual Education.
Her home since forever is Maywood CA, where she currently resides also. Hobbies include starting things and never finishing, alongside other unexciting stuff.
She lives with her three cats and family, the former caring more about being fed than her writing, the latter caring equally.
Hometown: Maywood, CA
Connect: instagram: @mdaydreams