Reynaldo Rivera | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964 |
| Known for | Photography, notably of Latinx culture |
Reynaldo Rivera (born 1964) is a Mexican photographer whose work documents queer, transgender and predominantly Latinx scenes starting in late 20th-century Los Angeles, including clubs, house parties, and everyday life. His photography captured venues such as La Plaza, the Silverlake Lounge, Mugy's, and Little Joy. [1]
Rivera's black-and-white photographs document private moments and the lives of Latinx women, artists and drag performers during this period. [2] His work highlights communities affected by gentrification, violence, and with limited public record-keeping, which contributed to their marginalization. [3] Rivera's photography provides a historical record of these under-represented groups in Los Angeles. [3]
Reynaldo Rivera was born in 1964 in Mexicali, Mexico. [4] While growing up, he moved throughout the United States and Mexico. [4] He now resides permanently in East Los Angeles. [5]
Rivera's mother and father were both born in Mexico. After his parents separated, Rivera oscillated between living with his mother and his father. [4] He navigated his childhood moving to various places, including Stockton, Pasadena, Mexicali, and Santa Ana, alongside his sister Herminia. [6] From the age of five, Rivera lived with his abusive grandmother for four consecutive years after being kidnapped by his father. [2] Thereafter, Rivera's father would often bring him from Glendale to the San Joaquin Valley, where Rivera was exposed to his father's illegal activities. [2] Rivera also had run-ins with the law, including facing charges in the sixth grade for selling drugs. [2]
Rivera describes photography as a means to achieve stability. [2] His first camera was a Pentax K1000. [2] In the early 1980s, Rivera began his career by photographing hotel cleaners. His first piece, created in 1983, aimed to document the site where his step-grandfather was murdered in Mexico City. [2] [7] Rivera credits the employee at the film store he frequented for explaining the mechanics of the camera after his initial pictures came out blank. [6] During his early pursuit of photography, Rivera did not have enough money to afford buying many rolls of film, which forced him to strengthen his editing skills. [6]
Rivera's first professional assignment in his 20's was photographing live punk and rock music, such as performances by Depeche Mode, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Sonic Youth. [7] He then transitioned to photographing drag bars, house parties, and queer clubs during the 1980's and 1990's. [7]