LA Originals Response

Project for AMD 317

La Originals chronicles the unique art scene of Los Angeles, California in the 80s and beyond that was ruled by tattoos, graffiti, and photography. Photography may not seem to fit in with the colorful popular art of the time, but it became a major part of the culture through album covers and documentary projects of important events. The early days of famous hip hop artists were photographed and filmed by Estevan Oriol, the main photographer profiled in the documentary. Tattoos given by Mister Cartoon, the other profiled artist, to world class celebrities were also documented by Oriol. These moments of time in the hip hop art culture of LA would have been lost to the imagination if it were not for Oriol and his beautiful photography skills. This film provides audiences with an in depth look at the Chicano and hip hop art culture of the time that has greatly influenced our current popular culture, but rarely is mentioned as inspiration. This new awareness of the origins of LA art was only made possible by Oriol who not only provided almost all of the historical footage and photos, but also showed off his skills by directing the film. I would say that the most important message to gain from this film is to be resilient and intelligent as an artist. If you want to become an established artist in a certain scene, you must immerse yourself in the culture like Oriol did in LA band and tattoo culture. Grab your opportunities when they come up and do not be afraid to showcase your work even if it, like the tattoos and style of 80s LA, is not appreciated yet in mainstream society. This theme is also shown in the Robert Mapplethorpe documentary by how he kept pushing to display his photography even though many viewers found it revolting and morally wrong. Mapplethorpe and Oriol both demonstrate how staying true to your brand of art can pay off in the end even if you are scorned early on.