welcome to essenceLA
Los Angeles: A city filled with many cultures and opportunities. Where a vast freeway system connects communities filled with people with origins from all over the world. People venture to LA to tap into its immense network of art, media, and other resources. Many people come to the city of sun and fun with hopes of fame, fortune, and recognition. It is a process that brings more and more people to Los Angeles every day, causing drastic changes to many neighborhoods.
Very often, it is a fictionalized version of a community that is portrayed in mainstream media. Even more often, most communities are not represented at all. But what about those people who were born in Los Angeles? Where can one find those local artists and entertainers that developed their skills in the land of skills? Those insiders that are very quickly becoming outsiders in their shifting communities? Where do LA natives go to have their voices heard? Where are the voices of the people who grew up next to instead of underneath the spot light? What is the reality beyond reality tv?
Great People of the land of social media, we present to you essenceLA.
essenceLA is a community of native Los Angeles artists and creators who have come together to create a space that represents the beauty, diversity, and spirit of Los Angeles, bringing together the essence of LA. This is a space where the art, music, food, and culture of Los Angeles is explored, showcased and represented, a place where the true artistic energies of Los Angeles get to create and shed their own spotlight on the works and crafts that are important to and indicative of the city we live in.
Join us as we meet, follow, interview and exhibit native Los Angeles artists and their work. Join us as we lead you through the complex world of the LA arts and the creative matter that falls just beyond the glitz and glam of Hollywood. Join us as we highlight the works of our communities and the lives that make these amazing projects possible. Join us for essenceLA.
The following photos were taken as we explored Highland Park, a neighborhood in northeast Los Angeles. All photos featured in this article were taken by Curnie Compton.
Content will be posted to our blog periodically. Be sure to check back frequently as well as follow our other social media accounts to stay updated. Also, be sure to check out our Soundcloud playlist below. All artists included are work and reside in Los Angeles.
