ReflectSpace, in partnership with the Getty Conservation Institute, presents Alta/A Human Atlas for the City of Angels, an internationally acclaimed social impact project by UK-based artist Marcus Lyon. The exhibition weaves together portraiture, personal narratives and ancestral DNA data to map LA’s layered identities through the lives of 100 Angelenos who have made significant contributions to the city. On view May 9 through July 12, Alta offers a powerful, community-centered exploration of migration, belonging and the evolving human story of the city. The opening reception will be held on Saturday, May 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Alta/A Human Atlas for the City of Angels at ReflectSpace is curated by Ara and Anahid Oshagan.

Developed over four years, Alta is a research-driven portrait of Los Angeles as one of the most complex and diverse cities in the world. The project began with a year-long, citywide nomination process in which Angelenos identified individuals from within their own communities whose work embodies meaningful contribution and social impact. The resulting 100 participants – spanning artists, activists, educators, scientists, public servants and community leaders – form a cross-section of the region’s social fabric, each representing a distinct thread in the city’s unfolding narrative.

Through a combination of photographic portraiture, app-based oral histories, and ancestral DNA, Alta constructs a multi-layered map of Los Angeles that extends beyond geography into lived experience. The project reveals patterns of migration, diasporic identity and intergenerational memory, illuminating the city’s largely unseen intangible heritage – its stories, lineages and networks of belonging. In doing so, it offers a powerful reflection on how Los Angeles is continually made and remade by those who inhabit it.

“Part scientific research project, part art exploration, Alta unlocks the depth of the Los Angeles region and preserves the legacy of a cohort of its most inspirational inhabitants for future generations,” said Lyon. “We hope Alta will activate a deep dialogue and inspire a space where the most important issues of our time are articulated, and heard, in order to create meaningful change.”

Initially created in collaboration with the Getty Conservation Institute for PST Art: Art & Science Collide, Alta is part of Lyon’s ongoing Human Atlas series, which merges art, anthropology and storytelling to document human geography. While connected to a global framework, this iteration remains deeply rooted in Los Angeles, highlighting the communities and individuals who define the city today and shaping an archive for future generations.

ReflectSpace is located within the Glendale Central Library, 222 E, Harvard St. in Glendale.