Perched high on a mountaintop overlooking Los Angeles, TAG Artist Elyse Wyman shot a series of photos from February 2019 to March 2020. From a distance she depicts a sweeping city bathed in light. Moods range from bright to smoggy, misty, and occasionally to stormy drama. Elyse’s photos conjure oblique references to Monet’s studies of the Cathedral of Rouen, reflecting varied conditions of light and weather over time.
But zooming in on the vast megalopolis below—a short distance yet worlds away from the summit—Elyse continued her series with a closer view of the city. City streets shock with their gritty sidewalks and freeway underpasses teeming with the homeless (ever increasing, especially during the Covid 19 Pandemic). These crises of public health and basic human needs belie the view from the crest. Trauma and addiction meet high rent, violence, upended families and untreated mental health problems.
After witnessing the bleak conditions throughout much of L.A., Elyse asserts, “We can and must reach out and help.” 50% of sales of artwork from this exhibit will be donated to Covenant House, a non-profit youth homeless shelter that provides sanctuary and support for homeless and trafficked youth.
TAG Bytes Episode 10: Elyse Wyman
Join TAG artist Elyse Wyman on a journey through her 2020 fine art collection, Crestview.