Venice Beach

In 1984, after he completed his famous photo essay on the Chelsea Hotel, Claudio Edinger set out to document another one of America’s bohemian enclaves, on the opposite coast: the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles. With its beach, boardwalk, and inexpensive bungalows, Venice had long been the center of LA’s counterculture, and Edinger set out to capture its most colorful denizens. His black-and-white portraits, accompanied by pithy interviews, range from well-known figures like bodybuilder Lisa Lyon, artist Billy Al Bengston, and director Tony Bill, to street performers and beachgoers.



This new edition of Venice Beach is beautifully printed in tritone and includes “where are they now” updates on many of Edinger’s subjects. The original introduction by Charles Lockwood traces Venice’s eventful history from its origins as a seaside resort complete with ornamental canals.