Gallery  May 30, 2018  Megan D Robinson

George Rodriguez Retrospective Shows the Dual Lives of Los Angeles

Courtesy The Lodge

George Rodriguez, "A Dog, graffiti, and Lowrider, East L.A., 1970," 30.5” x 40.5” (Framed), Analog Silver Gelatin Print

In a new exhibition and accompanying book, Double Vision: The Photography of George Rodriguez, offers a retrospective that covers the dual histories of Los Angeles. George Rodriguez, who has been capturing quintessential American images since taking a photography class to fulfill a high school elective requirement in 1954, has been documenting LA life from the gritty streets to the glitz of Hollywood for over four decades. His photography moves between worlds, offering glimpses of iconic film and rock stars, such as Lucille Ball and Michael Jackson, as well as the struggles of student rights activists and farm laborers. Born and raised in South L.A., his 45-plus year career has spanned some of the most significant events in the city’s history, including the East Los Angeles Student Walkouts, the Chicano Moratorium, and the United Farm Workers movement. A dedicated street photographer with a job managing a Columbia Pictures photo lab, Rodriguez was uniquely positioned on the front lines of both the entertainment industry and the civil rights movement. While containing only a small fraction of his vast work, the exhibition at LA gallery The Lodge and book of the same title encapsulate his eclectic career, revealing Rodriguez to be one of the great visual documentarians of Los Angeles and Mexican-American life.

George Rodriguez, "Pico Rivera, 1990"
Courtesy The Lodge

George Rodriguez, "Pico Rivera, 1990," 24.5” x 20.5” (Framed), Analog Silver Gelatin Print

George Rodriguez, "N.W.A, Keen, and Larie Ruelas, Burbank, 1990"
Courtesy The Lodge

George Rodriguez, "N.W.A, Keen, and Larie Ruelas, Burbank, 1990," 24.5” x 20.5” (Framed), Analog Silver Gelatin Print

George Rodriguez, "Natalie Wood, Golden Globe Award, Los Angeles, 1962"
Courtesy The Lodge

George Rodriguez, "Natalie Wood, Golden Globe Award, Los Angeles, 1962," 24.5” x 20.5” (Framed), Analog Silver Gelatin Print

George Rodriguez, "David Ruffin of 'The Temptations', The Hyatt House Hotel, 1968"
Courtesy The Lodge

George Rodriguez, "David Ruffin of 'The Temptations', The Hyatt House Hotel, 1968," 24.5” x 20.5” (framed), Lightjet Digital C-print

Double Vision is on view at The Lodge through July 14th. For more information, go to http://www.thelodge.la/  Books can be purchased at hatandbeardpress.com.

About the Author

Megan D Robinson

Megan D Robinson writes for Art & Object and the Iowa Source.

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