Reynaldo Rivera

Reynaldo Rivera is a photographer renowned for documenting historic queer, transgender, and predominantly Latinx scenes in late 20th-century Los Angeles.

Biography of Reynaldo Rivera

Reynaldo Rivera was born in 1964 in Mexicali, Mexico. Following his parents' separation, Rivera alternated between residing with his mother and his father. He experienced childhood across different locales, including Stockton, Pasadena, Mexicali, and Santa Ana.

Rivera credits photography as a source of stability for him. His initial camera was a Pentax K1000. He embarked on his career by photographing hotel cleaners.

In his early twenties, Rivera's inaugural professional endeavor involved photographing live punk and rock performances by bands like Depeche Mode, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Sonic Youth. Subsequently, he shifted his focus to capturing scenes in drag bars, house parties, and queer clubs, particularly in East Los Angeles, including La Plaza during the 1980s and 1990s.

His notable works include "Tatiana Volty, 1986, Silverlake Lounge," "Wes Cuttler, 1992, Echo Park," "Laura, La Plaza, 1993," "Vanessa, 1995, Silverlake Lounge," "Girls, 1997, El Conquistador," and many more.

Reynaldo Rivera's works have been presented at numerous exhibitions, including "Kiss Me Deadly" at Reena Spaulings Fine Art in New York (2021), "Made in LA 2020: A Version" at Hammer Museum / The Huntington Library in Los Angeles (2021), "Comedy of Errors" at The Gallery At in Hollywood (2020), among others.