Reynaldo Rivera

Not to be confused with Reinaldo Rivera.

Reynaldo Rivera (born 1964) is a photographer whose work documents queer, transgender, and predominantly Latinx scenes in late 20th-century Los Angeles, including clubs, house parties, and everyday life. His photography captures venues such as La Plaza, the Silverlake Lounge, Mugy’s, and Little Joy.

Reynaldo Rivera
Born	1964 Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
Known for	Photography, notably of Latinx culture

Rivera’s black-and-white photographs document private moments and the lives of Latinx women, artists, and drag performers during this period. His work highlights communities affected by gentrification, violence, and with limited public record-keeping, which contributed to their marginalization. Rivera’s photography provides a historical record of these underrepresented groups in Los Angeles.

Early life and career

Reynaldo Rivera was born in 1964 in Mexicali, Mexico. While growing up, he moved throughout the United States and Mexico. He now resides permanently in East Los Angeles, the site of the queer history he documented through his photos.

Rivera's mother and father, both born in Mexico, met in Stockton. After his parents separated, Rivera oscillated between living with his mother and his father. He navigated his childhood moving to various places, including Stockton, Pasadena, Mexicali, and Santa Ana, alongside his sister Herminia. Although most of Rivera's time was spent with his mother in Glendale, there were times when his father would take Rivera to reside with him. Starting at the age of five, Rivera lived with his abusive grandmother for four consecutive years after being kidnapped by his father. Thereafter, Rivera's father would often bring him from Glendale to the San Joaquin Valley, where Rivera was exposed to his father's illegal activities. Rivera also had run-ins with the law, including facing charges in the sixth grade for selling drugs.

Rivera describes photography as a means for achieving stability. His first camera was a Pentax K1000. He began his career by photographing hotel cleaners. Rivera credits the employee at the film store he frequented for explaining the mechanics of the camera after his initial pictures came out blank. During his early pursuit of photography, Rivera did not have enough money to afford buying many rolls of film, which forced him to strengthen his editing skills. His first piece was a 1983 selection aimed at capturing the site here his step-grandfather was murdered in Mexico City.

Rivera’s first professional assignment in his 20s was photographing live punk and rock music, such as performances by Depeche Mode, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Sonic Youth. He then transitioned to photographing drag bars, house parties, and queer clubs during the 1980s and 1990s.

Works, exhibitions, projects, collections

Notable works / selected works

• Tatiana Volty, 1986, Silverlake Lounge
• Anna LaCazio and Judy Pokonosky, 1989, Echo Park
• Elyse Regehr and Javier Orosco, 1989, Downtown LA
• Miss Alex, 1992, Echo Park
• Olga, 1992, La Plaza
• Wes Cuttler, 1992, Echo Park
• Angela, 1993, La Plaza    
• Gaby, Reynaldo and Angela, 1993, La Plaza
• Laura, La Plaza, 1993
• Melissa and Gaby, 1993, La Plaza
• Montenegro, 1995, Silverlake Lounge
• Patron, 1995, Silverlake Lounge
• Performer, 1995, Silverlake Lounge
• Tina, 1995, Mugy’s
• Vanessa, 1995, Silverlake Lounge
• Richard Villegas Jr., friend, and Enrique, 1996
• Girls, 1997, El Conquistador
• La Plaza, 1997, La Plaza

Exhibitions, projects and collections

• Fistful of Love/También la belleza, MoMA PS1, 2024, New York
• Kiss Me Deadly, Reena Spaulings Fine Art, 2021, New York
• Made in LA 2020: A Version, Hammer Museum / The Huntington Library, 2021, Los Angeles
• Comedy of Errors, The Gallery At, 2020, Hollywood
• Avengers - Someone Left a Cake Out in the Rain, Gaga & Reena Spaulings Fine Art, 2019, Los Angeles