Made in L.A. 2020 artist Reynaldo Rivera’s large (and largely unseen) body of photographic work captures Los Angeles’ queer clubs and house party scene in the 1980s and 1990s. These images depict a version of the city that has all but disappeared: Echo Park as a predominantly Latinx neighborhood rife with artists, writers, and performers full of flair and queer glamour. For Made in L.A. 2020, Rivera shares a selection from this archive, including intimate photographs from clubs (front of stage and back), bars, and house parties.
Reynaldo Rivera was born in Mexico but spent his childhood traveling across the border and within the United States—mostly between San Diego de la Unión, Mexico; Los Angeles; and Stockton, California—before settling as a young adult in East L.A. Rivera’s large (and largely unseen) body of photographic work captures the city’s queer clubs and house party scene in the 1980s and 1990s. These images depict a version of Los Angeles that has all but disappeared: Echo Park as a predominantly Latinx neighborhood rife with artists, writers, and performers full of flair and queer glamour.
For Made in L.A. 2020, Rivera shares a selection from this archive, including intimate photographs from clubs (front of stage and back), bars, and house parties. A vital aspect of his ongoing project is remembering and lending visibility to a community of vibrant trans women and drag performers who often died tragically and young. His images of people who are missing from public ledgers and administrative records offer a reminder that L.A. is a place with a deep history and a short memory.
In Made in L.A. 2020: a version, the artist’s work is present in two institutions, across Los Angeles. See Reynaldo Rivera’s work on view at The Huntington.