FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2022
TRESPASS: Kim Watson Exhibits Photo Series Telling Stories of Homelessness & Social Impact at Bestor Architecture Gallery in LA
Los Angeles, CA – Artist, writer, and director Kim Watson will debut his multi-media photography exhibition, TRESPASS, at Bestor Architecture Gallery in Silver Lake, LA, opening Saturday, September 17, 2022.
Three years in the making, the exhibition presents Watson’s stunningly intimate, black-and-white portraits and narratives of the unhoused who have entrusted him with their powerful stories. Over the years, while documenting the unhoused, Watson has established dozens of long-lasting relationships and continues to be a fixture on Skid Row and beyond. This project started at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in Watson’s own community, where he continues to work with organizations, volunteer multiple days every week, and assist in getting people housed.
“Kim Watson doesn’t turn and look the other way. He doesn’t avoid looking. He shows us a situation not a violation of space. He reaches beyond the click of his shutter to give a hand, to give a voice, to do what he can to make lives better, to make life better. Trespass is more than an exhibition, it is a cry, often upon deaf ears, letting us see instead of just hear. We don’t get to turn away.” – Emmy Award-Winning Cinematographer and Photographer John Simmons
The exhibit is the first of three projects focused on homelessness, to be followed by the release of the book TRESPASS in late 2023 with Broadleaf Books as well as a documentary film project now in production. Using art as a tool for change, the exhibition brings art lovers and the Los Angeles community together to see the housing crisis through new eyes while promoting empathy and compassion for those who live in the shadows. In addition, advocate and non-profit organizations Covenant House, 211 LA, 2nd Call and LA Community Health Project will be on hand during the exhibition to discuss the human and community impact of the housing crisis.
Exhibition Details
Date: September 17, 2022 – October 11, 2022
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 17, 2022, 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Location: Bestor Architecture Gallery
2030 Hyperion Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027
About Kim Watson
A multi-dimensional artist with decades of experience, Kim Watson has written, filmed, and photographed subjects ranging from the iconic entertainers of our time to the “invisible” people of marginalized communities. A highly influential director in music videos’ early days, Watson has directed Grammy winners, shot in uniquely remote locations, and written across genres that include advertising, feature films for Hollywood studios such as Universal (Honey), MTV Films, and Warner Brothers, and publishers such as Simon & Schuster. His passionate marriage of art and social justice has been a life-long endeavor, and, in 2020, after consulting on Engagement & Impact for ITVS/PBS, Kim returned to the streets to create TRESPASS, documenting the images and stories of LA’s unhoused.
Website: www.kimwatsonart.net
Instagram: @kimwatsonart
About Bestor Architecture Gallery
Bestor Architecture is based in Los Angeles and was founded by Barbara Bestor, FAIA in 1995. Bestor’s Los Angeles-based studio is recognized for the inventive integration of architecture, urbanism, infrastructure and landscape at multiple scales. Bestor Architecture has designed a number of award-winning projects including headquarters for Beats by Dre and Snap, Blackbirds, a new small lot housing development in Echo Park, and a variety of experimental residences and commercial establishments. The varied, creative, and aesthetically progressive body of work expands the territory of architecture into atmospheric urbanism. Recent projects include the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, which creates a vibrant musical haven by inserting an internal urban village within the shell of a classic Hollywood warehouse, Ashes & Diamonds, a new winery and event center in Napa, and headquarters for multiple high tech firms.
Website: www.bestorarchitecture.com
Instagram: @bestorarchitecture
