By Lookout Staff

December 21, 2011 -- Three decades after Los Angeles mounted its first cross-cultural photography exhibition, Santa Monica is updating the show.

“Refocus: Multicultural Focus” at Santa Monica Art Studios from January 7 to 29 includes current work by the 19 original artists showcased in the groundbreaking exhibit in 1981 at the Los Angeles Municipal Gallery Barnsdall Park.

One of two exhibitions selected to celebrate the Los Angeles Bicentennial, the original "Multicultural Focus" was curated by twelve artist/curators in the Los Angeles area, three each from the Asian, Black, Latino, and White communities,

The Los Angeles Times called the exhibit for the Los Angeles Center For Photographic Studies “the best contemporary show (of photography) of the year.”

The current Santa Monica show will be accompanied by a catalog showcasing images from the original show "juxtaposed to contemporary work and statements by participating artists," said Sheila Pinkel, who organized the current exhibit.

The catalogue will include essays by Deborah Bright, Carla Williams and Paul Von Blum that "reflect the concept of and changes that have taken place in multiculturalism and photography during the last thirty years," Pinkel said.

Participating artists are: Arden Alger, Don Anton, Stephen Axelrad, Carroll Parrott Blue, Elizabeth Bryant, Gillian Brown, Steve Berens, Dennis Callwood, Todd Gray, Robin Lasser and Adrienne Pao, Daniel Joseph Martinez, Willie Robert Middlebrook, Patrick Nagatani, Joan Salinger, Rick Tejeda-Flores, Linda Wolf, Nancy Webber, Mihoko Yamagata and Bruce Yonemoto.

Santa Monica Art Studios is located at 3026 Airport Avenue in Santa Monica.