Artist Elmer Guevara's solo exhibition "Yesterday like today / Ayer cómo hoy" presents a compelling collection of dramatic paintings that merge personal memory with collective trauma, capturing the tension between chaos and everyday life during moments of civil unrest. The exhibition, currently on display at Charlie James Gallery in Los Angeles through December 6, features oil paintings and gel transfers on linen that depict scenes from the 1992 Los Angeles riots following the Rodney King verdict.
Guevara, who was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, draws from his childhood experiences growing up in a neighborhood where his parents had settled after fleeing civil war in El Salvador during the 1980s. When police officers who beat Rodney King were acquitted in 1992, widespread riots erupted across the city, leading to extensive looting and arson that formed the backdrop of Guevara's formative years. These tumultuous and violent events now converge in his artwork as scenes that blend destruction with moments of quiet reflection.
The centerpiece work "Couple Hours after 3:15pm" (2025), measuring 84 x 72 x 1.25 inches in oil and gel transfer on linen, directly references the time when the officers' acquittal was announced. The painting depicts a man seated in front of a vintage white Volkswagen Beetle while flames consume the surrounding neighborhood. The figure's pointed finger and relaxed posture deliberately echo the theatrical composition of Domenico Fetti's "Portrait of a Man with a Sheet of Music" (1620), a vanitas painting that contemplates the emptiness of material possessions.
Guevara's reinterpretation incorporates his signature use of newsprint, with this particular issue prominently featuring Rodney King's traumatic experience. The artist skillfully layers raging fires with warm California sunlight, creating a visual tension between imminent danger and mundane daily life. This technique allows viewers to peer into the complex ways people navigate and cope when surrounded by chaos and uncertainty.
Family members play a central role throughout the series, as Guevara reflects on the intersection between personal narratives and collective trauma. One particularly poignant piece features his mother seated at her kitchen table with a Coca-Cola bottle and newspaper spread before her, pointing to the main headline about rioters taking control of the city. Like other figures in his paintings, she embodies a duality of deep awareness of the surrounding turmoil while maintaining a calm disposition, representing the all-too-familiar necessity of persevering through anxiety and heartbreak.
The exhibition includes several other significant works, including "Ghetto Bird View" (2025), a 32 x 60 x 1.25-inch oil on linen piece, "Updates and Relief" (2025) measuring 42 x 36 x 1.25 inches in oil and gel transfer on linen, and "Playing With Fire" (2025), a large 72 x 60 x 1.25-inch oil on linen work. The collection also features a series of smaller "Clapper" paintings ranging from 8 to 11 inches in various dimensions, as well as "Casualty" (2025), a 24 x 19 x 1.25-inch oil on linen piece.
All photographs of the artworks are credited to Yubo Don and shared courtesy of the artist and Charlie James Gallery with permission. Guevara's work powerfully addresses the fundamental question of how individuals and communities continue to live and function when multiple crises compound simultaneously, offering viewers a deeply personal yet universally resonant exploration of resilience in the face of societal upheaval.
