Lorena Endara
Love is not a drug
Photo series
Love is not a drug
Photo series
Declaring one’s own place of belonging is done by naming oneself, and this act alone is the utmost expression of love. From thereon we can start naming all others, encouraging ourselves to belong with others, to greet strangers, hug the unknown and touch its hands tenderly. We can imagine that from this small action we can change the course of a small, individual history, with the potential to move others through daily acts of courage.
Love is not a drug is a long-term photographic project by Lorena Endara that starts out as an exploration and attempt for personal grounding after migrating from her hometown in Panama to Los Angeles, California. As Lorena realized that she grew up without a sense of belonging, she stumbled upon Lorena Street, a 3.2 mile strip in the heart of Los Angeles. Encounters with elements that remind her of her land turn out to be somewhat bittersweet, as the process of rebirthing oneself is never painless. The photographic series presents documentation of everyday – but nonetheless magical – events that take place on this street bustling with familiar yet strange smells, sounds, colors, and images. In this sense, Lorena uses photography to play with memory, time, and identity.
The nature of Lorena’s process brings forth a practice that pushes a saturated warmth into the seemingly insignificant corners of a world that sometimes makes us feel alienated and alone; actively seeks out similarities between ourselves and strangers; and draws out moments of mutual comfort and company. By documenting Lorena Street as a field for redefining social structures and learning to truly love oneself, Lorena exhibits her meditation on how love is a decision that can transform, instead of a distraction of a momentary high.
Love is not a drug is a long-term photographic project by Lorena Endara that starts out as an exploration and attempt for personal grounding after migrating from her hometown in Panama to Los Angeles, California. As Lorena realized that she grew up without a sense of belonging, she stumbled upon Lorena Street, a 3.2 mile strip in the heart of Los Angeles. Encounters with elements that remind her of her land turn out to be somewhat bittersweet, as the process of rebirthing oneself is never painless. The photographic series presents documentation of everyday – but nonetheless magical – events that take place on this street bustling with familiar yet strange smells, sounds, colors, and images. In this sense, Lorena uses photography to play with memory, time, and identity.
The nature of Lorena’s process brings forth a practice that pushes a saturated warmth into the seemingly insignificant corners of a world that sometimes makes us feel alienated and alone; actively seeks out similarities between ourselves and strangers; and draws out moments of mutual comfort and company. By documenting Lorena Street as a field for redefining social structures and learning to truly love oneself, Lorena exhibits her meditation on how love is a decision that can transform, instead of a distraction of a momentary high.
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Lorena Endara (b. 1984, Panama City, Panama) became interested in photography at the age of seventeen and has been practicing ever since. She recently exhibited at GuatePhoto, the Pingyao International Photography Festival, and the Contemporary Art Museum in Rome. She has participated in several residency programs and received awards for her photography, from organizations such as IILA-Fotografia, the Banff Center, Daylight Magazine and the Center for Documentary Studies. Endara is a member of FotoFéminas, a collective of female photographers from Latin America. She is currently based in Los Angeles, CA where she teaches and creates multimedia art.
IG: lalorilori
website: lorenaendara.com
IG: lalorilori
website: lorenaendara.com
