LA MONOPOLY

The classic board game Monopoly has a surprising history. Originally titled “The Landlord’s Game” - it was intended as an educational tool to illustrate the negative impact of concentrating land in private hands. The game was sold to Parker Brothers in 1935, and has become so popular that more Monopoly dollars are printed annually than US currency. Having grown up in New York City, Simmons draws major inspiration from her experience of the urban landscape, translating what she sees into work that is eye-catching, playful, and polemical. Simmons’ version of “LA Monopoly” shines light on how increasingly unaffordable cities advertise properties where one buys into the brand of a neighborhood, or way of being “seen.” In an era of mass-marketing, neighborhoods, streets, and even particular addresses have become a way to define social status as opposed to the personal, private expression of one’s home.