This presentation of photographs made by contemporary lens-based artists from LACMA’s collection encompasses a range of concepts and approaches to visualizing the country-state of California (aka Kali Forno, Califia, Alta California). Each photographer attempts to blur, redefine, or break down the boundaries of established tropes that have, for so long, defined this place on the edge of the country. Whether embracing or contesting the myths and iconographies created by a now canonized lineage of photographers, there is one element that unites this group with its predecessors: the continued impact of experimental photography produced in California. The imagery on view in You Are Here: California Photography Now speaks to both major aspects of the region (entertainment, tech, erased histories) and minor (marijuana dispensaries, fallen fruit, flea markets) while expanding on the definition of photography, input and output, today.
Please note: Admission to the Los Angeles County Fair is required. Once on the fairgrounds, access the exhibition is free.