Melvino Garretti describes himself as “more of an anthropologist than an artist.”
Lexis-Olivier Ray
Lexis-Olivier Ray is a multitalented content creator and journalist focusing his lens and pen on social topics impacting the Southern California area.
Posted inArt
How Music Steered the Art of Jean-Michel Basquiat
The online documentary series “Time Decorated” argues that Basquiat was the connection between the bebop and hip-hop worlds.
Posted inFilm
How a Legendary Boxing Arena Became a Lens for Los Angeles
“18th and Grand” chronicles the history of the world-renowned venue, beginning with its unveiling for the 1932 Olympics and early history in segregated Los Angeles.
Posted inArt
A Goodbye to the Uncomfortable Holiday Work Party
Alex Prager’s “Farewell, Work Holiday Parties” at LACMA captures the awkwardness that ensues when a room full of intoxicated, mostly white people get together during the holidays.
Posted inArt
The Beautiful Ofrendas That Blossomed on Day of the Dead
Multimedia journalist Lexis-Olivier Ray drove around on Election Day and the day after, documenting ofrendas and memorials on 35mm film, while reflecting on a difficult year.
Posted inArt
How Posters Have Targeted Police Violence, From the 1960s to Today
“There’s a story behind every poster,” says Carol Wells, a former medievalist who abandoned her dissertation to devote her life to posters.
Posted inArt
The Archive of the Most Prolific Black Southern Californian Architect Finds a Home
During his nearly six-decade career, Paul Revere Williams built homes for celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, and Cary Grant. He also built affordable housing and gave back to his community.
Posted inArt
A Photographer’s Visual Record of Her Gentrifying Los Angeles Neighborhood
In 2017 Samanta Helou-Hernandez created an Instagram account paying tribute to Virgil Village, a vibrant, predominantly Latino community currently experiencing rapid gentrification.