Artist Statement
Articulating a sense of place, for me, involves the regret that comes with irrevocable change. Often I only notice something when it is slipping away. The images in this series are part of my process to decide whether I stay in Los Angeles or move somewhere else.
My family first came here in the 1880s. For generations our history was intertwined with that of the city. Affordability and quality of life issues mean I no longer take living in Los Angeles for granted. While tentatively looking for a new place to call home I decided to look more closely at the place I may be leaving behind.
The photographs show daily neighborhood life within the backdrop of ceaseless and impersonal development. Themes of affordability and natural disasters are also present. Whether I ultimately remain or go, these images serve as a bulwark against forgetting what Los Angeles was like at the time each image was made.
