"Growing up in rural New England, my impression of Los Angeles (and all of California for that matter) was based off of films and books; a picture-perfect dream of a landscape, coated with a golden haze of idealism. This ongoing series is my attempt to depict the city through that vision; the blissfully ignorant picture one paints of a place or person before reality taints it/them. The less you know the better..."The AINT-BAD website introduced me to Evan Tetreault's Los Angeles this week. His idea of examining the perfection we project onto and associate with specific locations and people really resonated with me. I liked his inclusion of culturally recognizable aspects like the city landscapes, suburban streets, and even the Burger King sign that all help the viewer connect with the imbedded nostalgia of the photographs. To me, this concept of idolization and the subsequent disappointments of reality is something that is both very relatable and something that I didn't think of associating with landscapes in addition to people.
The reason why I was initially drawn to these photographs was because they reminded me of my earliest childhood memories in Florida, always exploring the state and its various communities with my mother, aunt, and grandmother. In the interview featured on the website, Tetreault mentioned his allure to the nostalgic feeling he experienced after being in places he had never seen before. Through his photographs that romanticize the Los Angeles landscape, I believe the artist successfully imbedded his images with this curious feeling. They certainly took me back to simpler, happier times; to the memories of my early introductions to the world I was born into.
All images © Evan Tetreault
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