Renaissance & Rebellion - Flipbook - Page 67
As far as known human occupation, the indigenous Tongva, also known
as Kizh (“keetch”), settled and occupied the 4,000 square mile “L.A.”
basin area approximately 7,000 years ago. Evidence exists that prior tribal
cultures existed along what is now the L.A. River up to 13,000 years ago.
Approximately 30 separate tribes comprised over 5,000 total population in the
region, earlier migrating from the East, South and North and settling into the
mild and abundant region. These tribes were known by their own tribal names
such as “Azusa,” “Cucamonga,” “Topanga,” “Tujunga,” etc.—names still in use
today in SoCal. These individual yet related tribes traded amongst themselves,
were highly collaborative and formed a sophisticated culture until the Spanish
colonization, which nearly eliminated them through Old World diseases,
forced conversion and the rapid degradation of their society.
Since the founding of the city as “El Pueblo de la Reyna de Los Angeles”
(The Town of the Queen of Angels) in 1781 by settlers of Spanish, Mexican,
Indigenous and African origins, L.A. has been a destination for societal
rebels—adventurers seeking newfound opportunities, rebirth and innovation.
These inclinations continue to this day, with the “melting pot” running much
deeper than one would ever think.
Today, the Greater Los Angeles area is comprised of more than 100 cities
and stretches 34,000 square miles (54,718 km) from its valleys in the North
to the canyons in the South and from its beaches in the West to the deserts
in the East. It is the second largest urban center in the United States with
more than eighteen million people from all corners of the world calling it
home. Known as a leader in the entertainment industry for over a century, Los
Angeles is now also recognized as a global epicenter for fine art. Not only does
the city boast a sizeable community of prominent and up-and-coming artists,
it also features an exciting array of world-class art museums, galleries, art
schools, international art fairs, neighborhood art walks and temporary popup art experiences. The rich and diverse art scene we see today, however, is
not the same one experienced by the California Locos during their formative
years. The “birth of now” in Los Angeles art has been a long process that
began in earnest just after World War 2. This period began with the Zootsuit
Riots which illuminated deep racial tensions between the White and Mexican
American populations, underscoring the burgeoning post-war metropolis’
awkward movement toward its modern identity.
CALIFORNIA 128
LOCOS
Opposite, top to bottom, L-R:
Los Angeles circa early 1800s;
Tongva woman, early 1900s;
Early 20th century Los Angeles;
Los Angeles, 2022
