This story is part of our issue on Remembrance, a time-traveling journey through the L.A. experience — past, present and future. See the full package here.
Have you ever stopped to think about how what we wear and where we go are a form of time travel?
Photographer and graphic designer Sean Martin gave this question some thought as he visited downtown Los Angeles, including Chinatown and the Arts District, to create a series of street-style photographs on the subject.
Martin rebels against the ever-quickening pace of modern life by using film photography to capture his subjects and then adding digital touches. The result is the striking photo essay below — a visual marriage of the past and the future.
Last month, Martin, a Highland Park resident, told The Times: “The colorful, almost psychedelic mood in my work is meant to provoke thought and emotion in the viewer — not only in the concept but also in the creation. With that psychedelic nature, I’m able to represent the energy my subjects give off through their style and personality.”
Take a stroll through the colorful and vibrant backdrops of downtown Los Angeles and meet fellow time travelers.
— Marques Harper
My work is a mixed-media style of art, with both a digital and analog essence.
— Sean Martin, photographer
We’re in an era where time moves so fast so I decided to slow down and use film to capture the unfiltered energy and style of my subjects, then digitally highlight and layer in the modern energy of Los Angeles through my artistic process.
— Sean Martin, photographer
