Shatto Gallery is thrilled to present OUR RIVER: city floodplain, an exploration of the iconic Los Angeles River. As a crucial part of the city’s identity and rich history, this exhibition aims to shed light on the river’s significance while inspiring its restoration and the revival of the lost species. Stretching an impressive 51 miles, the Los Angeles River winds from the Simi Hills and Santa Susana mountains, meandering through numerous communities before reaching its destination in Long Beach. Despite its prominence, a startling number of Angelenos remain unaware of its existence. Hosted by Shana Nys Dambrot, an art critic, curator, and author based in Downtown LA, the panel discussion with four artists from OUR RIVER: city floodplain in conversation about their motive behind this current exhibition as they explore craft, content, and community through the lens of the LA RIVER.

Jose "Prime" Reza, (b. October 5, 1971) is an American graffiti artist born and raised in the Pico-Union District of Downtown Los Angeles. Prime is credited with being a founding father of Los Angeles stylized graffiti lettering, a hybrid of Cholo lettering and East Coast style graffiti that is often bold, aggressive, and monochromatic.

Michelle Robinson is a multi-disciplinary artist and animator. Her work addresses the slow, quiet tragedies that happen just out of view. Absence, impermanence, and loss are deeply rooted in my projects as she explores psychological and physical spaces that are in a state of transition. Robinson is searching for the elusive meaning of home, whether by revealing the uncanny within a domestic space or evoking nostalgic mourning over the destruction of our environment. Michelle Robinson's Our River Artist Statement The Los Angeles River, recently named one of America’s most endangered, takes many forms as it passes through the city, from concrete wastelands to a small stretch of semi-natural wilderness. From the beginning of colonial settlement, the river has been a battleground between the needs of industry and the unpredictability of nature. Rainwater is shuttled straight to the ocean instead of replenishing groundwater basins and freshwater marshes. Its current state is a bittersweet compromise that does not fully serve people, wildlife, or the environment. As a result of the flood control measures taken in the 1930s, the riparian habitat has mostly disappeared, and many species of animals have been extirpated from the river. In my work, I want to make such losses visible. By practicing a form of activist melancholia, I want to encourage remembering what came before so we can avoid further damage in the future. Mine is an anti-conciliary mourning, intended less to heal and more to spur action; to not be complacent in the face of such tragedies. Michelle L Robinson art@michellerobinsonstudio.com www.michellerobinsonstudio.com