California State University, Northridge’s Art Galleries is exploring the city of Los Angeles, particularly its unrecognized and under-appreciated parts, in its latest exhibition, “The Journey is the Destination: Recording Los Angeles.”
Many of the areas highlighted in the exhibition have been historically neglected based on stereotypes, and the work shown in the Galleries often calls attention to the impact of gentrification and depletion of environmental resources. “The Journey is the Destination” will be on view in the Main Gallery through Thursday, Nov. 6.
“The main theme of the show is to push back on the idea of what mapping is, especially in a western colonial sense, where you have people who have taken over places creating those documents,” said Holly Jerger, curator of the exhibition. “Through the work of people who have lived here and know the areas intimately, the exhibition works focus on diverse parts of the city and the larger landscape, inevitably addressing issues of gentrification and stereotypes of various parts of the city that have developed for different reasons.”
The art displayed includes a mix of photography, mixed-media pieces, site-specific installations and sculptures. Among the works on display is photography by Marisela Norte, which highlights how neighborhoods, their people and street life have changed over the years. Debra Scacco’s work looks at LA waterways and other systems that live amongst the city’s streets and surfaces, including the roots of trees and how their root systems create a form of map.
Other featured artists include Fía Benitez, Aaron Douglas Estrada, Vincent Enrique Hernandez, Erick Medel and Pamela Smith Hudson.
“Most people coming to the Galleries to see the show live here in Los Angeles,” Jerger said. “I think that it is a way everyone can learn things about the city in which they live, think about things in a different way, and hopefully find, through these artists, other people who simultaneously share their own concerns and experiences.”
In the West Gallery, “The Warmth of the Sun: A Recent Survey of Tierra Del Sol Artists” runs through Wednesday, Oct. 15. It is the first of three exhibitions in a series about local San Fernando Valley-based art organizations. Tierra Del Sol Foundation celebrates inclusion and value for all people with disabilities through creative pathways to employment and education.
“The purpose of the West Gallery’s shows is to recognize organizations and their contributions to the community, as well as to educate people about resources that are available,” Jerger said.
The West Gallery exhibit also follows the theme of “Los Angeles, Place and People,” displaying work about life in Los Angeles with topics such as food, neighborhood life and mapping, through paintings, drawings, textile works and other media.
A reception will be held for the exhibits on Thursday, Sept. 11, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in conjunction with an open house at the Sanborn Fire Insurance Atlas Collection.
The second part of the series in the West Gallery will be about Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural, running from Monday, Oct. 27, to Thursday, Dec. 11.
The third and final exhibition in the series will feature 11:11 Projects, running from Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, to Thursday, March 12, 2026.
To learn more about the exhibitions, visit https://www.csun.edu/mike-curb-arts-media-communication/art-galleries