LA RIVER X TAKEOVER
February , 2021
Banner created to announce the LaRiver X Takeover on Instagram
In November 2020, I was invited to participate in a week-long Instagram takeover for the Los Angeles River X project. In the midst of the pandemic’s stillness, I welcomed the chance to head out and explore the LA River — a liminal space that winds through the city yet feels entirely apart from it.
The resulting photographs and time-lapse videos were curated by daily themes throughout the takeover. Thanks to Dr. Tilly Hinton, the work is now part of the Western Water Archives at The Claremont Colleges Library.
Los Angeles River X is a public humanities project that invites community members to share personal stories, artworks, photographs, writings, sounds, and videos that reflect their connections to the Los Angeles River. Curated by public historian Tilly Hinton, PhD, the initiative has featured over 70 guest hosts and preserved more than 1,900 memories, many of which are archived in the Western Water Archives at The Claremont Colleges Library. LA River X also organizes exhibitions and events to celebrate the river’s cultural and historical significance. https://www.instagram.com/lariverx
Day 01 / February 20, 2021
The crown of the cement serpent.
A brutalist clash between nature and human ambition, submerged in an overwhelming sea of concrete. It felt like a rite of passage — an experience I had to confront before embarking on this visual exploration. Photographs alone can’t capture the sheer scale and weight of the structure.
Day 02 / February 21, 2021
The Central section of the river..South of Downtown. A vast expanse of sun baked concrete and water as far as your eyes can see. A minimalist post-industrial landscape. At first sight it looks like a desolate space between sky and slabs. But looking closer its teeming with life…and death.
Day 03 / February 22, 2021
Textures and Patterns and Patterns and Textures. Like some industrial / urban / decay ?
The LA River is an endless source.
Day 04 / February 23, 2021
The Old South Gate train Bridge
One of many Warren truss bridges spanning the LA River on the way to Long Beach. Built by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1932, it’s said to still carry the occasional train — though these days, it sees far more foot traffic than railcars.
Day 05 / February 24, 2021
In this section the canal is at its widest. Standing in the river bed, the austere, harsh, unnatural landscape feels like a buffer zone in the middle of the city. A world within a world, where other rules apply. As if by entering, you are released from the societal grasp. Time slows down and rules are lax… The city keeps on going, leaving you behind. The sight of the running stream in the endless slab is eerily peaceful.
A place to take a break, break a sweat, or take a unsanctioned motorcycle ride.
Day 06 / February 25, 2021
A winter storm sweeps over Los Angeles, offering rare relief to the city’s dry landscape. From this vantage point, the swollen riverbed—unusually full—reflects the storm’s intensity. Downtown LA appears to perch atop the Soto Bridge, while dramatic storm clouds frame the industrial sprawl along the Vernon stretch of the river.
Day 07 / February 26, 2021
I saved some good ole overpass porn for last. Those sexy modernist curves!
I want to thank Dr. Tilly Hinton for the opportunity to participate in such a great project. And to all of you for your highly coveted attention span. At the beginning I told Dr. Hinton that the river and I were close strangers. That relationship is starting to change. :)