Black Space: MLK Blvd. (2017-2019) + Recent Photographs
Archival Recordings 11
A wise man once said "I'm good on any MLK Blvd..." and I wholeheartedly agree with the statement. This is the first Black History month for Archival Recordings so I wanted to kick it off with this essay on Martin Luther King Boulevard (also known as MLK blvd. or King Blvd.) in South Los Angeles.
I began to focus more intentionally on Black neighborhoods in 2017 after a trip to New Orleans (see last weeks Archival Recordings newsletter for details on that trip). There was a vacuum when it came to documenting these critically important areas. In many cities, historically Black spaces are often targets of gentrification and Los Angeles is no different in that regard.
Martin Luther King Blvd., Los Angeles 2019.
When we're caught up in the daily grind, it's easy to take our surroundings for granted. This is especially true when the world tells you that where you live has less value than other neighborhoods. Often, the perception of a space is dependent on predatory factors that systematically drive down the value of Black neighborhoods over time.
The concept of a neighborhood is multifaceted and people experience them in different ways. As a kid, I was always drawn to the physical structures and architectural patterns that can be found in different parts of the city. By isolating these aspects of the landscape photographically, different elements are elevated and can be considered both separately and in context with the area as a whole.
Recent Photographs
This week I had some car trouble so I rode the train to work. I don't mind taking public transportation, it's just another opportunity to view and document the city from a different angle. The photographs that I'm sharing this week are all mobile shots, taken with my iPhone 13 and processed in Lightroom. I've been using this workflow for a while and find the quality more than sufficient.
Archival Recordings Zine Subscription
Last week I launched the Archival Recordings Zine Subscription. You can find more information here but in a nutshell, $50 USD a year gets you 4 printed zines (I publish them roughly every three months) sent directly to you. It's a great deal and an awesome way to support this project.
Please consider signing up to the paid tier of Archival Recordings to subscribe!
Also, check out this piece I wrote where I go into the details behind a few of the photographs in the new zine.
*You can also purchase Zine 01 without a subscription at my online store, Structure & Hue.
Next week I'll continue my BHM focused content with some of my work from Harlem, NYC!