1992 Los Angeles Riots (Revolution) Fine Art Collection

Presenting the only direct evidence 35mm fine art collection spanning the cataclysmic first night and the subsequent catastrophic two days from the ground, in and around the flashpoint of the most devastating uprising-rebellion civil rights, social protest, civilian rage in U.S. history by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres; where more than 50 people were killed, 2,300 people injured, culminating in nearly $1 billion in damage. In a recent Washington, DC talk, "The Rule of Law", Legal Scholar, Ilya Somin, from George Mason University states: "The Civil War was in fact a rebellion, a small number of ICE protestors is not the same category of the Civil War... when federal law is not fully enforced, a general breakdown of civil order like the LA Riots of 1992... we can't 100% fully enforce the laws, because that's not possible at any time." The 1992 Los Angeles Riots was a Civil War. Major news organizations declined to deploy war correspondents at night due to the unprecedented violence stemming from unpoliced Wild-West mayhem. Hence, Abraham Torres is the only photographer in the world to cover, document, the 1992 Los Angeles Riots from the ground on the first night in the Westmont “100s” area, and near Florence Avenue and Normandie Avenue in South Los Angeles — and, by the protection of a “large miracle”, Torres and the collection survived the 1992 L.A Riots. The Collection, highlights Southern California History like only a Los Angeles based Mexican photographer with deep roots in California can document.
1992 Los Angeles Riots fine art historical collection was created on the first night in South Central Los Angeles. The collections chronicles the entire three night/day revolution-social unrest, covering downtown Los Angeles, South Los Angeles and East Los Angeles. The following image is the feature image of the collection. Graffiti tag reads: "Let the Revolution Begin!", first night of rioting, downtown Los Angeles, in silver spray can on an office building black wall by a fire hydrant. First published by Vice News, for an interview of Abraham Torres called, "An Unseen Side of the 1992 LA Riots", in 2017. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
McDonald’s Window LA Riots, a shattered window of a McDonald's Golden Arches logo alongside a Mac Tonight logo, on the first night of rioting, on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. First published by Monthly Photography magazine, South Korea, for an interview of Abraham Torres called, "Raw from the LA Riots", in April 2019. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
LAFD Firefighter LA Riots, firefighter Carter, is looking at the enormity of the countless structure fires as flames burst through roofs, engulfing the interior of buildings. He is also talking to a man from the fire department in a blue sedan, holding the door. Fire engine 93 is next to the burning structure, showering the raging fire with water on the first night of rioting in South Los Angeles. This scene was repeated countless of times throughout the night in Los Angeles. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Liquor Store Fire Riots, Don's Market is engulfed in fire, as structure crumbles from the fire-bomb and bellowing black plumes of smoke rise into the first night of rioting in South Los Angeles. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Structure Fire LA Riots, collapsing beams of fire begin to arch and break, falling to the ground the first night of rioting in South Los Angeles. First published by Vice News for an interview of Abraham Torres titled: "An Unseen Side of the 1992 LA Riots". Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Burning Palm LA Riots, iconic Los Angeles palm tree is engulfed in fire, lit by a flaming, crumbling building, next to an abandoned car, bellowing a black plume of smoke into the first night of rioting in South Los Angeles. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Collapsing Fire LA Riots, like lava, fire debris flows out of collapsing engulfed burning building as Los Angeles Fire Department firefighter deal with another extraordinary unforeseen situation, gunfire. One firefighter was shot in the face fighting a fire during the LA Riots, as no Los Angeles Police Department escort was available during the first night of the LA Riots in South Los Angeles neighborhoods. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Burning Gasoline LA Riots, Mobil gasoline station on fire, flames engulfing main structure, on Vermont Ave and Imperial Hwy, Westmont, "100s", South Los Angeles, first night of the LA Riots. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
African American LA Riots, families gather around a flushing fire hydrant on 76th street, a few blocks from Florence Avenue and Normandie Avenue, South Los Angeles on the first night of the LA Riots. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
General Hospital LA Riots, an Apocalyptic afternoon, standing against a blotched sun, from East Los Angeles, smoky skies (smog) from the burning fires throughout Los Angeles, signals the second day of the LA Riots in the city. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
LA Riots 10 Freeway, a nervous driver is panicking on 2nd day of the LA Riots, fear in every Angel, against a blotched sun, as smoke from unchecked fires burns throughout city mid-afternoon near the 6th street bridge, with downtown Los Angeles in smoky skies in the background. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Day Fires LA Riots, sequential fires, a man is running across the intersection of Washington Blvd. and Trinity St, with a sense of fear and anxiousness as he passes two men carrying packs of beer. Los Angeles was a different city when the sun rose the second day of rioting. Smoke from sequential fires on Washington Blvd. and Trinity St facing east raged in the distance mid afternoon. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Rooftop Latinos LA Riots, on the second day of rioting in South Los Angeles on Washington Blvd, fires erupt throughout Los Angeles, Latino spectators rise above the smoke to witness an incredible scene of sequential, rising fires, plumes of black smoke, traffic, smoky skies, fire after fire in the mid-afternoon, near Downtown Los Angeles from their makeshift perch, sitting on a slanted roof of an apartment building. First published by Monthly Photography magazine, South Korea, titled "Raw from the LA Riots". Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Burning Stripmall LA Riots, in the mid afternoon, on the second day of rioting and first full day, looting began. Here on Washington Blvd., South Los Angeles Latinos were looting a strip mall, as the building caught fire and a large plume of black smoke began rising. Latinos are seen scattering when Los Angeles Police Department motorcycle officers in a cruiser and Los Angeles Fire Department fire engine company arrive, as they are overwhelmed by the chaos. The majority of looting took place in broad daylight. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Latino Men LA Riots, two young men, gather Huggies diapers, m&ms, beer and Marlboro cartons encircled by chaos, a burning building off Washington Blvd strip mall, mid-afternoon as a plume of black smoke rises from the structure fire. First published by Monthly Photography magazine, South Korea, for an interview of Abraham Torres called, "Raw from the LA Riots", in April 2019. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Black Owned LA Riots, "Black Owned" is spray painted on a board up Tam's Burgers restaurant window, by an elder African American man, with a banner that reads original owner. Mid-afternoon on the second day of rioting in South Los Angeles. First published by Vice News in an interview of Abraham Torres titled "An Unseen Side of the 1992 LA Riots". Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
CHP Officer LA Riots, mid-afternoon on the second day of rioting in South Los Angeles, a California Highway Patrol Officer, wielding his shotgun is having a conversation with an African American Man in front of a boarded-up Nativity Catholic Church. First published by Monthly Photography South Korea Magazine, titled "Raw from the LA Riots". Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
National Guardsman LA Riots, M-16 rifle, guard, the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, Temple St in the mid afternoon, by standing in the middle of the street. This is now the third day of the LA Riots, in downtown Los Angeles. First published by Vice News in an interview of Abraham Torres titled "An Unseen Side of the 1992 LA Riots". Master Digital Darkroom conversion from a color negative to a monochrome image. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Los Angeles Firefighter Shotgun, Los Angeles Fire Department Firefighter holding a Shotgun, wearing sunglasses and a fireman's hat, standing in the middle of the street with a side profile, in front of a 1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, during the second day of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, in South Los Angeles. Google AI Overview notes the photograph as: "a notable historical image from the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. The photo is frequently cited in discussions about the challenges and dangers faced by first responders during civil unrest". Published by Vice News in an interview of Abraham Torres titled "An Unseen Side of the 1992 LA Riots". Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Graffiti Wall LA Riots, tag(s) on a long wall in South Los Angeles created during the civil unrest declaring, using black spray cans: "Rodney King War '92." Master Digital Darkroom conversion from a color negative to a monochrome image. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Florence and Normandie LA Riots, taking a stroll through the flashpoint Intersection an African American young Man crosses the intersection with a Unocal gas station displaying gas prices on the third day in South LA. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Stoning intersection Florence and Normandie, with burnt cars in the distance and rocks in the middle of the intersection on the third day in South Los Angeles. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
LA Riots Aftermath, from Mangled Gates Life on the third day, mid-afternoon in South Los Angeles, two Latino boys emerge from a mangle metal security gate, boarded up entrance to a food meat market with a lotto sign still standing. Published by Monthly Photography South Korea Magazine, titled "Raw from the LA Riots". Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Humvee LA Riots, a Latino boy looking through an open window of a military National Guard jeep making a three-point turn on the third day in South Los Angeles. Published by Vice News in an interview of Abraham Torres titled "An Unseen Side of the 1992 LA Riots". Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
LA Riots Clean Up, a Latina in blue jeans takes pride in sweeping, cleansing the earth, in front of a burnt-out building following the Los Angeles Riots on the third day, mid-afternoon in South Los Angeles. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
LA Riots African American, renewal, a man in the middle of the street begins to cleanse the earth, cleaning up, sweeping the middle of the road after the LA Riots on the third day mid-afternoon in South Los Angeles. Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.
Palm Trees LA Riots, "To Live and Die in L.A.", two lone palms on the third day, somewhere in South Los Angeles, midday, surrounded by smoldering smoke and debris; a ruin, destroyed building and telephone polls in the distance, in front of a parking lot. Published by both Vice News, and Monthly Photography South Korea Magazine. Vice News in an interview of Abraham Torres titled "An Unseen Side of the 1992 LA Riots". and Monthly Photography South Korea Magazine, titled "Raw from the LA Riots". Photograph captured by Mexican fine art documentary photographer Abraham Torres, with a Canon EOS 630 35mm film camera.