Flash Mob-A Photo Book

presents A Wednesday Night Variety Show Production

A Photo Book

This work in this book was written and produced by students from 826LA’s Wednesday Night Variety Show program and printed in June, 2012 at 826LA, 1714 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90026. The typefaces used are (Palatino, Stencil and Aachen). All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Cover designed by Luis Antonio Pichardo 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 www.826la.org

Echo Park 1714 W. Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90026

Venice 685 Venice Blvd.

Venice, CA 90291

NEA This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts

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A Photo Book

Another

Publication

Table of Contents

Maria Medrano....................................................................4 Wai Sing Wong.....................................................................6 Lily Medrano.......................................................................8 Oscar Miranda...................................................................10 Benjamin Rivas..................................................................12 Carmen Duran...................................................................14 Diego Morales....................................................................16 Isabella Battaglia...............................................................18 Ana Rivas...........................................................................20 Ivette Paz............................................................................22 Yesenia Pum.......................................................................24 Michelle De Leon..............................................................26 Briseida Granados.............................................................28 Jasmin Calix.......................................................................30

3

Maria Medrano

Sometimes it feels like somebody’s watching me‌

4

Maria Medrano

Halo?? Halo??

It all happened in a blurr. It’s a blurr.

His the same. The mustache has changed.

Look at her, look at me

5

Untitled

Wai Sing Wong

Trying to keep your head above water You want to stay awake, ahead of it

That relaxing night, still, cold, dark and deep

World blackens, as if you’ve got some shades on Fuzzy, as if you’ve grown a coat of fur

Lights dance around you and you fall right in

Lines blur, shapes shift, where they used to overlap Embraced you but you let go. No worries.

Except you’re in some other weird place now A dream, of course—fancy seeing you here!

6

Wai Sing Wong

Chill Night Fancy seeing you here.

Mysteriously spooky.

Looking for the sky.

7

Lily Medrano

Thursday 10.47 These are my uhmm ...what do you call this??? feedback?

The guy in the blue shirt, or is it turquoise?

Discoveries

She wears a hat, she wore it wrong and as she wore it she made discoveries discoveries of what was already there discoveries nonetheless discoveries she made hers her’s where the discoveries so she thought she would keep them to herself but share she won’t she will share it

Everyone says that things will fall into place What are these things? when will they fall into place?

Who is this “everyone” who says it? why do they say it? and while she does this the lights flash and while she does this time has in the end it does not really matter passed UNLESS! it does and while she does this they fall in and when it does love it will be beautiful in love with contrast and then we can say in love “wow that is beautiful” then I will feel awesome and think Hey, things have fallen into place.

Dialogue

Oh man, you are kinda ridiculous and its hilarious huh? yeah, look at you. I don’t even know what it is you are doing. uhh if only I had the kind of energy you have, then I would be able to... ahh dude, can you walk? here lean on me. hmm What are you doing? No, put your hand over my shoulder. ohhh Wait up, let me try some of... nahh oh, please...don’t be messed up man ehh you know what, I’m taking you home now.

and the people were right 8

Lily Medrano

Hombre...you’re obsessed.

ehh!

Falling into place Yet again, something new

9

Oscar Miranda

Then and Now‌

10

Oscar Miranda

All my friends are unicorns.

Evolution Revolution

Fuzzy Robot

Robot Fuzzy

11

Benjamin Rivas

Benjamin Greco-Roman War Hat

In ancient Greece and Rome, soldiers wore a silver metal hat with a red mohawk to go to war.

Their war hat was very heavy.

The design of their hat was really cool.

The hat reminds me of the movie 300 and when the Romans crucified Jesus.

Who designed the hat?

Who thought of making the hat?

Who invented the mohawk on the hat?

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Benjamin Rivas

My chariot awaits Mohawk

13

Carmen Duran

Pictures inspire me because I like to take pictures of weird things that don’t make sense or that are just nice. The pictures I took look really good, and that’s why I like it. Most of the things I use are a dinosaur and these 5 little dolls. I think it looks interesting. I just don’t know how to explain it, but I really like the colors that the pictures have. That’s what I like about my pictures, they’re really nice, and I would like you to like them too.

14

Carmen Duran

Help me!

Help me get down!

I am not bait!

Let’s go home.

15

Diego Morales Toy story generation‌

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Diego Morales

The guy on the dinosaur is looking to show off and attract attention from all the caveladies.

“Stay away from my babies.” The dinosaur doesn’t want to be bugged while watching her babies be born.

The pink flamingoes are a couple, and the one laying down is the husband. They begin to argue over standing and laying down.

“Get me out of here!” The lego thinks he’s behind bars.

17

Caffeine

Isabella Battaglia

Roses are red, violets are blue, Kelvin owes me coffee too! He didn’t make me cappuccino so I went to the store and bought a frappuccino! French bulldogs like to eat French fries in Paris and also meat. Iced tea is my favorite drink but I wish it was pink. Boba is a nice drink. It makes you want to think about what you drink. Sprite is very bright and makes you want to write, and it makes you wake up at night. I see the moon, I go back to sleep, and now it is morning and I want to sleep. But if the moon is out I want to sleep.

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Isabella Battaglia

Fuzzy peeps BFF’s

Nerrrds!

Too kool

19

Ana Rivas Hiding, always hiding‌

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Ana Rivas

Help

No one will ever find me.

Coma

Bye Polar

21

The Shark

Ivette Paz

The shark was hungry.

It saw the delicious Lego.

Poor Lego had no chance.

Shark came in, and devoured the poor Lego.

Now there are only bloodstains on his teeth.

And the poor Lego’s skeleton floats in the sea.

22

Ivette Paz

Hunter & Prey

Before Dead

Massacre

Happiness

23

Yesenia Pum

Art to me is a world of self-expression. What I capture is my life and surroundings. They tell stories who I am–my passions, hobbies, interests, etc. Photography is the essence of art that tells my stories. Through photography I can share my experience with the world, so you can see what I see.

24

I look at this and I think, what a wonderful dream he’s having.

Yesenia Pum

Autobiography

The crazy man who leaves a balloon outside his window & his dorm.

25

Michelle De Leon There is no mystery like living‌

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Michelle De Leon

In the Tomb

RedRum

27

Briseida Granados

Time Traveling Happy Meal

You have ROBOTS doing things for you

The lights are dyin’

With Prius cars driving you everywhere you want

Going under

I can’t do it no more

I’m faintin’

You will turn FAT and not the PHAT kind

It’s world war 3

I wanna go back to the past to 2012 in 826LA Echo Park!!!

Traveling to the future 2033

Where my friend’s dad brings me McDonald’s Fries seem fake, yet they are AMAAAZING!!!

Now, I just wish school was a whole water place It would be covered with the oceans water Imagine

Swimming at school the entire day It would be a very cool thing Seeing the fishes

Swimming around like a mermaid Now is ending, life is boring here in the future This seems like the movie WALL-E

28

Briseida Granados

Dryness and Hotness Scribbles and Eyes

Ahhhhhh!!!

It’s war!

29

Jasmin Calix

Feeling the adrenaline rush, once stepped into the ring.

Seeing your opponent...you’re both determined to win.

Not even knowing what could happen, you might even lose an ear!

Once the referee steps aside, with all the rush inside

of you, you don’t even think about where his weak spots are.

You just want to throw the first punch.

Putting both of your fists up in front of your face.

You both punch at the same time. And you start to notice how quick

he is as you see everything slow down as his fist is coming right at you.

You try blocking but he gets you right on the chin.

You feel nervous, but also angrier.

You’re non-stopping, punching so much, forcing him into a corner.

Noticing how better your getting, having the feeling you’re going to win before this round is even over.

Hearing the crowd all around you cheering and also booing you.

As the referee walks around you two.

‘Til...he gets you right in the jaw again but this time you’re on the floor.

And you can’t help but stay there.

30

Jasmin Calix

Rocky

Sucker Punch

“A man is not finished when he is defeated.

He is finished when he quits.”

-Richard M. Nixon

1 Hit KO

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About this book

Photography is a functional art. At least, that’s what some people may have you believe.

The idea that an art can be functional, whereas others cannot, is a dichotomy that has existed since the times of Aristotle and Socrates. The fact of the matter is that anything can be an art. From photography and writing, to speaking and believing.

It’s all an art form in and of itself.

Collected here in this book is a series of photographs that students took during the Wednesday Night Variety Show workshop offered by 826LA in Echo Park. The students learned over the course of four weeks the basics of photography, which included the famed “Rule of Thirds,” exercises in contrasting color and subjects, and perspective manipulation.

Accompanying their photographs, you will see their wit and thoughts as it relates to art; specifically photography. Their writing is an exercise in making sense of what they see, just as much as what their photographs convey.

We hope you enjoy this collection of art, both in written and visual form. For me, as the instructor of the Wednesday Night Variety Show, it was a real pleasure being able to see through another’s eyes.

Luis Antonio Pichardo Programs Coordinator 826LA–Echo Park 32

A Wednesday Night Variety Show Production