Local Transplants

(WIP)
The cascading vines, tropical flowers that seem to bloom year-round, and of course the towering palms—it’s quintessential Los Angeles and vastly different from anywhere I’ve ever lived. Nearly one year after relocating here, the Southern California landscape still fascinates me on a daily basis. While under quarantine, I’ve finally taken the time to learn more about the flora I walk past everyday. Through collection, identification, and closer observation I’ve not only learned how often each blooms or how much sunlight is needed for optimal growth, but also that much of my California landscape is imported. Many classic “L.A.” plants hail from places like Australia, China and Brazil, brought here by immigrants in hopes of bringing a little piece of home with them or by investors looking to “exotisize and beautify” the city.

Not only do I have more time to learn about the flora that make L.A. so colorful but, more importantly, the spring blossoms represent a sense of normalcy. The natural world is still in motion, blooming unfazed. Due to the global state of isolation born from COVID-19, I’m sharing my observations through a series of postcards—a physical mode of correspondence in a moment of purely digital connectivity. I’ve given my subjects a dreamlike aura to embody today's surreal atmosphere and to break up the daily monotony of our new normal.