Looking @ LA

Los Angeles occupies a distinctive position in the American cultural imagination. Unsurprisingly, the city’s dramatic hills, canyons and beaches are a  prime location for the projection (and production) of America’s fantasies. The city’s richly varied landscape coupled with its film, art and music industry are just a few reasons why so many eyes around the world are fixed on what Angelenos will do next.  Still, there are less obvious reasons that Los Angeles is such an engaging city. LA holds a particular fascination for anyone interested in thinking deeply about contemporary culture. Its identity has been more fiercely debated and critically dissected than any other American city, spawning countless books, films and artworks dealing with the city’s legacy.  The following profiles don’t cover outstanding civic achievements, rather they honor both well-known and lesser-known figures in Los Angeles’ cultural fabric that engage thoroughly with the city and, most importantly, have played a pivotal role in shaping perceptions of the Southland from without and within.

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