A tale of two cities in Venice Beach, where affluence and adversity collide

In late 2020, Venice Beach became an encampment during the lockdown period as homeless people pitched tents along the famous boardwalk. © Karen Ballard

Perpignan – A resident of Venice, Los Angeles, for the past 15 years, US photographer Karen Ballard has documented the transformation of the Californian coastal town from holiday resort to artistic hub and, increasingly, a site of homelessness. She tells RFI about the resulting images, recently shown in France.

Award-winning photojournalist and film stills photographer Ballard moved to Venice, a beachside neighbourhood of LA, in 2009.