Join us for the opening reception of Fotos y Recuerdos: Guatemala in Los Ángeles, presented by Las Fotos Project and OXY ARTS.
Fotos y Recuerdos: Guatemala in Los Ángeles explores the importance of community image making and archives. The exhibition features over 100 personal photographs submitted by community members who are part of the Guatemalan diaspora in Los Angeles, the largest community of its kind outside of Guatemala. Alongside the community archive are original photographs, personal family archives and installations by Michelle Montenegro, an LA based Guatemalan American photographer and Las Fotos alumni and mentor. Together these works document diverse stories, touching on themes of migration, historical contexts, community preservation practices, and the power of storytelling.
Presenting varied archival submissions from Guatemalans in LA, the exhibition showcases how family photos and archives allow many communities of color to reclaim often forgotten or destroyed histories and stories that make up their distinct identities. The Guatemalan diaspora in LA does not belong to a monolithic story. However, individual experiences of those making home in LA are undeniably interconnected–each an extension of the other. The collection of photographs, objects, and archives brings feelings of comfort and familiarity to the Guatemalan diaspora in LA, but also reminds us of our power as a collective, in solidarity, despite our individual, sometimes disparate, struggles.
