Santa Monica Pleasure Pier: A Look Back to 1917 from Today
Role: Creative Direction, Research, Curation, Publishing, Exhibition Design
Santa Monica Pleasure Pier: A Look Back to 1917 from Today is a companion book and museum exhibition inspired by Charles I. D. Looff's rare 1917 Prospectus Book—a remarkable document created to attract investors to his Santa Monica Pleasure Pier.
Working from the Stephen Raul Anaya Collection, I researched, curated, designed, and published a contemporary interpretation of this seldom-seen archival treasure. Historic photographs from Looff's original prospectus were paired with present-day imagery and interpretive storytelling, revealing more than a century of architectural, cultural, and social change through the lens of place.
Presented at the Santa Monica History Museum from November 2019 through February 2020, the project translated a rare historical artifact into an engaging public experience through publishing, exhibition design, archival storytelling, and visual interpretation.
This is a dynamic video I made that juxtaposes the physical and cultural changes to the area around the Santa Monica Pier. The video was projected on a wall as part of the exhibit (and book) I created.