Lives in Parallel
DMST Atelier is excited to collaborate with artist, activist and curator, Emiliano Lopez to presents Lives in Parallel a duo exhibition featuring the photography of Cindy Escarcega and Paulo Freire Lopez. Please join us for the opening reception Saturday, April 12, 2025 from 2-6 PM.
Lives in Parallel is an exhibition that delves into the invisible struggles of Los Angeles residents displaced by gentrification and economic injustice. Through the compelling lenses of Cindy Escarcega and Paulo Freire Lopez, the exhibition captures the lives of those forced into parallel existences: one dictated by the familiar yet changing landscapes they once called home and another by the unfamiliar spaces they now inhabit. Cindy's work examines the erasure of community histories and shared identities due to rapid capitalist expansion. At the same time, Paulo focuses on the enduring resilience of cultural expressions, such as lowrider and punk communities, that resist displacement and preserve collective memory. Together, these photographers present an intimate portrayal of the lived consequences of gentrification in Los Angeles, offering a visual narrative that intertwines struggle, resistance, and cultural perseverance.
Exhibition Text by Emiliano Lopez
Paulo Friere Lopez is a photojournalist who grew up on the Westside of Los Angeles. His background in Chicano-Chicana Studies serves as the lens through which he approaches his work.
He has documented the connection between community, culture, and land among residents with historical roots in working-class neighborhoods across the city. He uses his photography to amplify the voice, agency, and authenticity of the people in the stories he covers.
His work explores organic LA culture. This includes the local lowrider scene, where he introduces viewers to the people behind the cars and shows the culture in motion. He also takes viewers into the LA punk vibe, where an interesting mix of old-school and newer generations come together to create a growing, vibrant scene. In both projects, he looks at how these cultures operate as a voice of resistance to gentrification and serves as a testimony to the roots of working-class marginalized communities as well as their cultural production in the city.
His photography often focuses heavily on the far Westside of Los Angeles. He shows the unique expression of intersecting local cultures, including lowriding, gangs, punk, skaters, and surfers, that are all part of the OG Westside.
Cindy Escarcega's photography combines her personal experiences with her advocacy for social justice, capturing the nuanced stories of LA's diverse communities. Raised on the borders of Gardena, Compton, and the Harbor Area, Cindy's work is deeply influenced by the systemic oppression and social inequities she witnessed growing up, particularly during the LA Riots of 1992. Cindy's work uses visual storytelling for activism to document the shifting landscape and intersectional cultures of our surroundings.
Her artistic journey began with disposable Kodak 35mm cameras as she captured her community's struggles and triumphs. Cindy's battle with self-doubt and acceptance reflects the broader societal tensions of privilege and marginalization she explores through her lens. Committed to sparking change, Cindy aims to preserve fleeting moments of everyday life overshadowed by capitalist expansion.
Cindy holds a G.E.D., a B.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from CSULB, and an M.A. in Gerontology from USC, focusing on environmental and social health impacts. Currently, she is capturing film stills for a Sundance Film Festival documentary about Watts, leads "My Picture Project," a youth workshop using photography for healing and self-expression, and is a proud mother of four.