LOS ANGELES — Anthony Obi, a Houston-based rapper recognized as Fat Tony, never thought that the night of January 7 would mark his farewell to what he considered a safe place. After residing in the Altadena neighborhood for a year, he and his neighbors were ready for intense winds and briefly losing power. Obi expected to face broken windows and a couple of days’ clean-up when he returned home.
However, the reality struck hard when he awoke the next day to alarming news. Thousands of homes, along with entire neighborhoods, had been ravaged by flames, particularly affecting Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Although these areas are distanced within the county, they serve as popular hubs for many artists, filmmakers, actors, and musicians in the city.
Visual artist Andrea Bowers, who is stepping in to help those impacted, stated that the loss extends beyond Hollywood’s famous faces and opulent mansions. “So many community members lost everything, including their art and archives, which are irreplaceable – a lifetime’s worth of work and research,” she remarked. Salomón Huerta, a figurative and conceptual artist who lost his residence in Altadena to the Eaton Fire, expressed concern over the potential shrinkage of the LA art scene due to the wildfire’s effects. He noted that many of his collectors lost their homes, complicating ongoing discussions about business.
Both Obi and Huerta faced significant losses, including personal possessions, vital equipment, and archives essential to their careers. Huerta lamented over the slides and transparencies of his past work, which he had intended to digitize for an upcoming publication. Obi echoed similar sentiments by stressing the irreplaceable loss of everything related to his music career, which he described as the “motherlode” of his creative output.
For Kathryn Andrews, a conceptual artist, this traumatic experience marked her second encounter with wildfires within four years. Fleeing her Pacific Palisades home as smoke loomed closer, she was reminded of her lost property from the devastating 2020 Bobcat fire. Reflecting on her experiences, Andrews said, “Having faced losing one home changes your perspective. We become less attached to material goods and turn our focus on community, land relations, and collective problem-solving.”
Joining forces with fellow artists and gallery directors, Andrews co-founded a relief initiative named “Grief and Hope,” aimed at financially supporting creatives impacted by the disaster. The collective’s primary objective is to provide immediate funding for urgent needs. Shortly after the fires ignited, their GoFundMe campaign to raise $500,000 exceeded expectations, amassing over $940,000 towards a new goal of $1 million.
As part of their efforts, Grief and Hope has received numerous requests for assistance, with distributions to be allocated equally among applicants, based on the needs survey phase that has recently concluded. The organization also established groups of volunteers to offer peer-to-peer support on medical, safety, and housing issues while gathering data to better assist the creative community.
For many artists like photographer Joy Wong, the loss of her beloved home in Altadena translated to losing a piece of beauty and inspiration. Wong characterized the area as a “pocket of heaven.” She emphasized the emotional turmoil of leaving behind a house filled with memories, studio space, and artistic ambitions, but managed to evacuate safely with her family.
Many affected artists, including Obi and Huerta, have taken to starting fundraising campaigns to replace lost items. Initiatives have emerged across Southern California to help with necessities like clothing, art supplies, and equipment for creatives. As Obi noted, he has been pursuing every opportunity to replace his instruments and recording tools, showing his resolve to rebuild what was lost.
Creative director Celina Rodriguez and Superchief Gallery’s Bill Dunleavy shared a vision of utilizing this devastation as a chance to establish essential support systems for the arts in Los Angeles. Dunleavy remarked on how the wildfire’s impact on properties would indirectly affect rental prices, studio costs, and the broader art market. He commended the shared compassion exhibited by the community, hoping such support would sustain over the years to come.
Rodriguez recognized the need to motivate freelance artists to continue their work in the city despite the setbacks. She urged fellow creatives to adapt and find new shooting locations, emphasizing the importance of collaboration amid adversity. Together, Rodriguez and Dunleavy quickly set up a donation center within their Downtown Los Angeles gallery, bringing in over 150 volunteers to meet the urgent needs of displaced families.
Amid all this, Dunleavy expressed interest in extending their efforts beyond immediate relief, contemplating the potential of creating lasting non-profit initiatives to benefit the community. “Self-organizing demonstrated remarkable power, and we are inspired to keep this momentum going,” he stated.
