Book takes us behind the scenes of megaproject
The opening of the first D Line subway extension stations Fri., May 8, marks a huge advancement in Los Angeles’ public transport system, and few people have kept up with the project’s progress like India Mandelkern and Ken Karagozian. In her new book “Wilshire Subway,” Mandelkern walks us through the history of the extension, from its early proposals in the 1960s to its current, near-finished state. Along the way, Karagozian’s photography gives us a look into an underground world of giant machines, tar-infested earth, and the men and women who worked for years to make the Wilshire subway a reality.
MINERS pose in front of a drill cutterhead after completing Reach Four of the extension project. Photos by Ken Karagozian
Karagozian, who has been photographing Metro projects since the Red Line was built in the 1990s, approached Mandelkern with his photography, wanting to combine his work with her historical writing. “The most interesting line for me personally has always been this D Line extension because it has this very fraught history,” said Mandelkern. “They’ve been trying to build this subway since the 1960s, and for one reason or another, funding or fears of underground [construction] or politics, it just never came to fruition.”
CONCRETE CARPENTER Jenna Dorough in the tunnel on her birthday in 2022.
The book features a foreword by former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa along with several guest essays. Writer David Ulin remarks on how the D Line reminds us of the past and encourages us to look to the future. Architect Leo Marmol recounts a prank he pulled involving a fictional Aqua Line construction project connecting downtown to Santa Monica. Urban planner James Rojas shows us how megaprojects are emblematic of the indomitable spirit of Angelenos, including his grandfather, who helped channelize the Los Angeles River after the flood of 1938.
“It’s looking at the subway project not just from one angle, but from 360 degrees,” said Mandelkern. “There were so many people that this project really brought together.” As you look at Karagozian’s portraits of workers and read Mandelkern’s history, with all its ups and downs, it’s hard not to see the D Line project as a microcosm of Los Angeles as a whole.
A reception for the launch of “Wilshire Subway” is on Fri., May 1, at 4 p.m. at 6150 Wilshire Blvd. Mandelkern’s book can be bought online or in stores, including at LACMA and Craft Contemporary.
Category: News
