Ken Karagozian, Wilshire Subway — The Making of the D Line Subway Extension.
A new book and accompanying pop-up exhibition opening in Los Angeles next month will examine the construction of the Metro D Line Subway Extension, one of the region’s most ambitious transportation projects in decades.
Titled Wilshire Subway: The Making of the D Line Subway Extension, the publication and exhibition bring together photographs by Ken Karagozian and essays that explore the social, political and engineering dimensions of the project. The exhibition will be presented at 1301 PE, with an opening reception and book signing scheduled for Friday, May 1, 4-7PM.
The book, written and edited by India Mandelkern, documents the years-long effort to expand the Metro D Line westward beneath Wilshire Boulevard. Featuring more than 50 black-and-white photographs by Ken Karagozian, the publication focuses both on the scale of the infrastructure project and the workers involved in its construction.
Stretching approximately nine miles from Koreatown to Westwood, the D Line extension represents a significant expansion of rail transit on Los Angeles’ Westside. The first segment, now opening, runs roughly four miles from the existing Wilshire/Western station to a new stop at Wilshire/La Cienega. According to Metro, the overall project carries a cost exceeding $9.7 billion and involves tunneling through complex geological conditions, including tar-laden soil.
In addition to Mandelkern’s text, the book includes a foreword by former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and contributions from writer David L. Ulin, architect Leo Marmol and urban planner James Rojas. The essays place the subway project within broader discussions about the city’s development, infrastructure challenges and civic identity.
Mandelkern, who previously worked as an editor for Metro’s blog, said her interest in the project began with its historical context but expanded through conversations with construction workers. The resulting portraits, she said, offer insight into the experiences of those involved in building the line.
Karagozian, based in the San Fernando Valley, has spent more than three decades documenting the evolution of rail transit in Los Angeles. His photographs have appeared in national and local publications and are held in institutional collections.
The exhibition at 1301 PE will present a selection of Karagozian’s images from the project, highlighting both large-scale construction scenes and individual workers. The gallery is located near the newly opened Wilshire/Fairfax station, one of several stops planned along the extension.
The book will be available at the gallery and through select Los Angeles bookstores, including locations associated with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Skylight Books, among others. And at https://www.indiamandelkern.com/wilshiresubway
The exhibition will be on view during regular gallery hours from Tuesday through Saturday.
