Support the LAPL Palisades Branch Recovery Fund

Creators in Residence Showcase

Conversation and artist exhibition
Date: Sunday, Oct 16, 2022
Time: 2pm
Location: Mark Taper Auditorium-Central Library
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This event marks the culmination of the inaugural Los Angeles Public Library Creators in Residence, highlighting new original work by photographer Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin and visual artist River Garza. Rooted in the Black community and Indigenous Tongva community respectively, Boyd-Bouldin and Garza have produced thoughtful, reflective, gorgeous works in response to their explorations of the Los Angeles Public Library system over the past year. In this conversation, the two artists will discuss their approach to making art, how they were inspired by the LAPLs mission and role in LAs diverse neighborhoods, and ways of seeing the city we call home. Following the conversation, experience hands-on activities for all ages, such as printmaking, in the outdoor courtyards. This program also coincides with the showcase of the artists’ photos, mixed media paintings, and writings in an exhibition in the First Floor Galleries. 

Attendees will receive a complimentary copy of Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin’s The Library Zine, featuring photographs and illustrations of each of the Los Angeles Public Library’s 73 branch locations (while supplies last).

Frequently asked questions

Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin

Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Los Angeles, Kwasi Boyd-Bouldin began photographing the urban landscape when he inherited his father’s camera. From that point, he has continued to meticulously document the physical composition of neighborhoods throughout the city and beyond. His work blends elements of landscape, documentary, and street photography to portray a side of everyday city life that’s foreign to the unfamiliar. The experience of growing up in Los Angeles is the foundation for his photo essays, sharing a perspective that is often missing from the mainstream narrative. 
 
In 2017 Kwasi was included on Time Magazine’s list of 12 African American Photographers to Follow and his project, The Public Work was named one of the 5 Art Accounts to Follow in The New York Times in August 2020. He was also the lead photographer for the Netflix animation series “City of Ghostsand is currently one of 2 inaugural 2022 Creators in Residence for the Los Angeles Public Library. Kwasi currently resides in Los Angeles with his family and continues to document neighborhoods throughout the city. 


River Garza 

River Garza is an  artist from Los Angeles,CA whose  work draws on traditional Indigenous aesthetics, Southern California Indigenous maritime culture, skateboarding, Graffiti, Mexican culture, and Low Rider culture.


Stacy-Lieberman_headshot_President-and-CEO_LFLA

Stacy Lieberman

As President and CEO of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles (LFLA), Stacy Lieberman is an innovative and inclusive leader whose career dwells at the intersection of arts and culture, lifelong learning, storytelling, and equitable access. Stacy guides the Foundation’s philanthropic and public-facing priorities to serve the Los Angeles Public Library, embracing the notion that libraries are beacons of democracy where everyone is welcome. She works intentionally with community leaders, donors, and internal and external strategic partners to raise awareness and resources for the Library and its life-changing initiatives.

With more than 20 years of experience as a senior executive, Stacy has left an indelible mark on iconic L.A. arts, non-profit, and educational institutions such as The Broad, the Autry Museum of the American West, and the Skirball Cultural Center. Building on an early career in book publishing, she has dedicated her professional life to sharing stories and broadening the reach of public institutions to welcome visitors and students of all ages and backgrounds to experience educational, arts, and cultural opportunities.