Project Description

This series of photographic portraits present the artists behind the artworks in the Metro system. The illuminated photographs on display in the Passageway Art Gallery depict the artists in their homes and studios, providing a glimpse into their distinct personalities and cultural influences. Portraits were created by Todd Gray, a professional photographer and internationally exhibited artist born and raised in Los Angeles. He works in multiple genres including photo-based works as well as sculpture, paintings, performance and public art.

Portraits of  Carmen Argote, Judith Baca, Bill Bell, East Los Streetscapers (David Botello & Wayne Healy), Charles Dickson, Roy Dowell, Martin Durazo, June Edmonds, Cheri Gaulke, Ken Gonzales-Day, Phyllis Green, Clement Hanami, Phung Huynh, Joe Lewis, Ronald Llanos, Michael Massenburg, Jessica Polzin McCoy, Christine Nguyen, Noni Olabisi, Man One, John Outterbridge, Sam Pace, Sonia Romero, Sandra Rowe, Alison Saar, Shizu Saldamando, Peter Shire, May Sun, Cha-Rie Tang, and Richard Wyatt.

About the Artist

TODD GRAY (b. 1954, Los Angeles, California) works in multiple genres, including photo-based works, as well as sculpture, painting, performance and public art. He began his career as a rock photographer before his friend and mentor, Ray Manzarek (keyboardist and co-founder of The Doors), convinced him of his talent as an artist. Gray went on to pursue both interests— exhibiting in museums, while photographing countless album covers and directing music videos. Gray’s work has been featured in exhibitions nationally and in public collections at the National Gallery of Canada, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, and the Studio Museum, Harlem. He is a Rockefeller Bellagio Residency Fellow (Lake Como, Italy).

Display: 2016 – 2017