A Look into the Past: The 2016 Exhibit

The exhibition Holy City Adrift: Thomas McGrath’s Los Angeles originally opened at Cal State LA’s John F. Kennedy Library in March 2016.  It was the product of many months of planning by the McGrath Working Group, a team of graduate and undergraduate students organized by English department faculty member Dr. Andrew Lyndon Knighton.  Originally conceived as a commemoration of McGrath’s centenary, the exhibition became an occasion for reflecting on the history of poetry in Los Angeles and the role of the University in that history. A concurrent Facebook page was updated with digital versions of the show’s artifacts and informational materials, as well as updates about exhibition-related events.  This more accessible digital exhibit is largely based on that original Facebook exhibition.

Among the many challenges faced by the Working Group was that of developing the show’s visual aesthetic.  In that respect, much of its identity depended on the contributions of undergraduate student Lorenzo Rams, who designed the newsprint-and-skyline themes that unified the exhibit displays as well as the exhibition’s promotional materials, including the postcards and bookmarks pictured here. 

During the course of the exhibition, student members of the Working Group served as docents for numerous guided tours by Cal State LA students.  Pictured are group members Amanda Kong, Sal Ayala, and Gabriela Valenzuela, helping visiting undergrads to get the most out of the show

Members of the McGrath Working Group:

Sal Ayala

Jorge Contreras

Francisco Gutierrez

Dr. Andrew Knighton

Amanda Kong

Lorenzo Rams

Gabriela Valenzuela