Harry Gamboa Jr.
Directing
Biography
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Harry Gamboa Jr. (born 1951) is an essayist, photographer, director, and performance artist internationally recognized for the combination of activism and social critique that informs his work. An organizer of the East LA Walkouts of 1968 and founder of the avant-garde art collective ASCO (active 1972–1987), Gamboa considers the city streets to be his studio. Unlike most Angelenos however, Gamboa prefers to walk or use public transit to get around, and he always has a camera in hand.
Known For
Venturing from Venice Beach to Watts, Varda looks at the murals of LA as backdrop to and mirror of the city’s many cultures. She casts a curious eye on graffiti and photorealism, roller disco & gang violence, evangelical Christians, Hare Krishnas, artists, angels and ordinary Angelenos.
Mur Murs
"ASCO: Without Permission" is a genre-defying film that profiles the extraordinary, Los Angeles based, Chicano art group of the 70's-80's, ASCO, who merged activism and art as they challenged representation in the art world, Hollywood and the news media. Unrecognized in their time, they are now being considered amongst the most important artists of the 20th century. Utilizing a wholly original approach to filmmaking where nonfiction and fiction are interconnected through collaborative film works made with the next generation of Latinx artists, "Without Permission" reimagines what is possible today in cinema and art while celebrating an iconoclastic group that was far ahead of its time.
ASCO: Without Permission
The Chicano nuclear family experiences a meltdown at ground zero of urban L.A. Included in the 1995 Whitney Biennial. (SVHS; color)
L.A. Familia
Spies have too many eyes looking out where they don't belong. (3/4 in. video; color)
Agent X
Rotten eggs make the marriage as love is scrambled beyond repair. (SVHS; color)
Huevitos
Film by the Chicano performance and conceptual art group ASCO.
Blessed Bag Bombers
A rude awakening for a man who battles the world on his way to a permanent deep sleep. (3/4 in. video; color)
Insultan
The Chicano nuclear family dines on angst, cold cuts, and fishy propositions. (3/4 in. video; color)
No Supper
A woman reveals her recipe for burnt relationships as she bakes her cake and eats it too. Premiered at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. (SVHS; color)
Mananamania
The search for the truth takes a man through the abyss of urban falsehoods where he encounters those who would follow him to the nearest social exit. (3/4 in. video; color)
Imperfecto
A couple disengage in silent bordom. (3/4 in. video; color)
Vaporz
Marie Antoinette offers to babysit a difficult child while a single mother tries to regain her happiness and identity. (3/4 in. video; color)
Baby Kake
A man declares his humanity as he struggles to push psychological boulders from his path. (SVHS; color)
Fire Ants For Nothing
A possessive relationship results in passive/aggressive rejection and destruction (in memory of Lorraine Ordaz). (3/4 in. video; black and white)
Blanx
Humberto Sandoval searches for reasons why there are no pyramids in Aztlan. (SVHS; color)
El Mundo L.A.: Humberto Sandoval, Actor
A street artist alters the urbanscape with images of guns as he paints his way towards peace. (SVHS; color)
Loner With a Gun
Crossing-over is never accomplished when bridges crumble early as fragile ideals. In memory of Lorraine Ordaz. (SVHS; color)