Previous Library Exhibition

Be in the Moment: Portraits from L.A. Lowrider, Goth, and Punk Cultures

Photography by Zer Ghoul

Be in the Moment: Portraits from L.A. Lowrider, Goth, and Punk Cultures features artworks by Los Angeles-based photographer Zer Ghoul (Erick Zerecero). Zer Ghoul uses his Canon EOS M50 camera to document L.A. lowrider culture and the rebelliousness of goth and punk culture. He is inspired by punk and goth scenes because “they are rooted in depicting their nonconformity towards the status quo, each in their own way, through their music and lyrics. What I like the most, however, are the DIY outfits of goths and punks, from leather jackets painted with acrylic depicting band logos or quotes against authority, to the latex masks that shine with every movement on the dance floor.” Another important aspect of his photography is documenting Chicano culture in L.A. and its intersection with lowrider culture. “This is important to me because it’s my community; it reminds me of my family,” he says. “My uncles migrated from Mexico City to L.A. in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Two of them, Sergio and Alfredo, would go to lowrider cruises. Sergio owned a 1975 Cutlass Supreme and Alfredo owned a 1963 Impala Super Sport. Photographing lowrider cruises reminds me of them.” For Zer Ghoul, photographing Chicano lowrider culture is personal because his uncles are part of its history, and he wants to document his community with love and dignity. Zer Ghoul calls his photographic style “goth minimalism.” His portraits capture the moment with natural light, no flash, and in black and white.

A video of the opening reception is available on the CSRC YouTube Channel.

Erick Zerecero is a PhD candidate in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCLA.