California dreaming at the Autry

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‘Welcome to Hollywood! What’s your dream? Everybody comes here; this is Hollywood, land of dreams.’ This memorable quote from the film ‘Pretty Woman’ echoes in the hearts of many Angelenos who ventured west to pursue fame, fortune, a better life or creative freedom, with a notable few leaving a significant lasting impact on Southern California.

Harry Brant Chandler, photographer and son of former L.A. Times publisher Otis Chandler, has assembled a group of inventors, artists, immigrants and entrepreneurs in ‘Dreamers in Dream City,’ an exhibit at the Autry National Center. On display are 56 of the images -- typically, like the one at right, artfully altered and tweaked -- found in the book of the same name published in June.

‘One of the things I like about Harry’s approach to the show is that he’s got the people you’d expect with Walt Disney and Nat King Cole but also included those that people wouldn’t necessarily have heard of and puts them on the same page together such as arts educator Ben Caldwell, founder of KAOS Network in Leimert Park, and Japanese street artist Gajin Fujita,’ said Johnathan Spaulding, executive director of the Museum of the American West at the Autry National Center.

For the rest of my story on the exhibition in Sunday’s Arts & Books section click here.

To view the photo gallery click here

-- Liesl Bradner