“Obras de Luz (Works of Light)” opened July 15 and will be on view until Sept. 25 at Mercado La Paloma, 3655 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of PacificCitizen.org. ©2026 Pacific Citizen
The exhibit, showcasing Reyes’more than 40 years of work, particularly with The Rafu Shimpo, continues through Sept. 25 at Mercado La Paloma near USC.

The pop-up photo exhibition “Obras de Luz (Works of Light): A 40-Year History of the Japanese American Community through the Lens of Photojournalist Mario Gershom Reyes” will continue through Sept. 25 at Mercado La Paloma near USC.

A reception was held Sept. 4 for the exhibit, which is presented by the Japanese American National Museum and Mercado La Paloma and honors the extraordinary work of Reyes (1956–2025).

Courtesy STEPHEN NAGANO
Japanese American National Museum President and CEO Ann Burroughs (left), JANM Board of Trustees Chair William Fujioka and filmmaker Stephen Nagano, whose short feature about Mario Reyes was screened at the reception, look over an American flag that Reyes and longtime fellow journalist Martha Nakagawa had signed by more than three dozen World War II draft resisters.

Through his more than 40 years of work with The Rafu Shimpo, Reyes documented the milestones, tragedies, celebrations, and victories that shaped generations of Japanese American community life. The exhibition brings neighborhoods, histories, and communities together through photography, memory, and shared cultural experience.

During the reception, Steve Nagano’s biographical short film “More Than 1,000 Words” was screened. The 2012 film celebrates Reyes and the enduring importance of his work.

The exhibition is free and open to the public.

Mercado La Paloma is located in Downtown Los Angeles at 3655 S. Grand Ave.
More details about the exhibit can be found at MercadoLaPaloma.com.