Michael Salvatore Tierney is a Los Angeles based photographer. Tierney’s photographic work deals with space and place, temporal and physical, hybrid cultures, and the hypothetical concept of a Ecumenopolis- a city made of the whole world resulting from a fusion of urban areas and megalopolis forming a single continuous worldwide city. Tierney has been continuously examining the factors that played a role in the development of Southern California and its lore. Tierney has done projects on Aerospace (where he gained access to top secret sites never photographed before), Utopian architecture, Municipal Architecture, and the landscapes surrounding the megalopolis that have often been the destination for those seeking supersensory experiences. Michael Tierney’s work has been exhibited in both solo and group shows in Los Angeles and in museum shows and art fairs around the country.
Vernacular Los Angeles
The goal of “Vernacular Los Angeles” was to get a more complete and accurate view of the 272 cities, neighborhoods, and communities that make up Los Angeles County one of the world’s largest megalopolises. Doing so required visiting the cities, neighborhoods, and communities in Los Angeles County that lay outside the mainstream narrative. I recorded the everyday, non-monumental, residential architecture of these diverse regions and in doing so gave voice to generations of residents who have contributed significantly to the culture of Los Angeles but have often remained in the margins. The simple and direct images address many issues at once, including race, immigration, socio economics, class, the built environment, shifting demographics as well as the changing natural environment.
To view more of Michael’s work please visit his website.