Stig De Block. Back to Back, From Backyard to Boulevard

Description:

BACK TO BACK - FROM BACKYARD TO BOULEVARD
shines a light on the lowrider culture of Los Angeles, CA. Originating in the mid 20th century, highly anticipated social events began to flourish on Whittier Boulevard in East L.A., where cars featuring extended bodies and low to the road roll are proudly put on display. Pioneered by a new generation of Latinos from Texas, the Southwest, and Southern California, the scene expanded to include Black Americans who helped establish funk, RnB, and hip-hop as central fixations in the culture. These young men and women, who refused to assimilate, used these automotive masterpieces as their bold assertion of freedom.

Lowriders are an expression of the cultural, social, and religious identities of those who customize and display them. They prominently feature the hydropump system, originally used on aircraft technology, which allows owners to adjust the suspension by hitting switches to produce an extreme body movement we know today as “hopping.” Externally, they’re adorned with colorful pinstripes, flakes, candy paint, the faces of rappers like Tupac Shakur and Nate Dogg, and religious idols. Internally, upholstery, ornaments, and fixtures reflect the makers' fantasies.

Photography & Sequencing by Stig De Block
Design & Art Direction by Vrints - Kolsteren
Texts by Atoosa Moinzadeh