Lauren Halsey’s practice resides at the intersection of architecture and community engagement. As a fourth-generation Angeleno, born and bred in South Central, Halsey possesses a great deal of neighborhood pride. Her work fuses the imaginative potential of visual art with the structural possibilities of architecture to critique issues of class, gentrification and disenfranchisement in American society. Deeply influenced by ancient Egyptian iconography, Funk music and Afrofuturism, Halsey’s sculptural installations create a living archive of Black L.A. While these immersive environments and structures tell the stories of her community – her artist-powered neighborhood center, Summereverthang, responds to its needs in real-time. Whether it be through the distribution of fresh food, educational support or artistic enrichment, Halsey is dedicated to empowering the community that made her. Read Halsey’s conversation with writer Amarie Gipson online now at justsmilemagazine.com. Portraits of Lauren Halsey photographed by Shane J. Smith in Los Angeles for Issue 2 of Justsmile. All artwork photographs courtesy of David Kordansky Gallery 2022, from Lauren Halsey’s first solo exhibition in New York at David Kordansky Gallery May 2022.