CLAREMONT, CA.- In his first solo museum exhibition, Claremont-based photographer Julian Lucas explores the concept of home in relation to the American Dream. As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, this exhibition asserts that home is a state of mind, and the pursuit of the American Dream is stratified according to race and access to power.

Julian Lucas: Happiness Pursued. Paradise Lost. is on view at the Claremont Lewis Museum of Art and will remain on view through July 12, 2026.

The exhibition focuses on multiple photographic series center around the concept of home as a powerful source of cultural and psychological centering, and the contrasting forces of displacement and loss. The Declaration of Independence states that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” This American Dream of equality and opportunity is tied to home, not just the dream of home ownership, but the notion (or perception) of home as a connection to place and a feeling of belonging. For Black Americans, the contradictions in this dream are stark, especially for those whose ancestors were taken from their homes in Africa to be held captive as slaves in the United States.

The Exodus Series documents the ongoing story of the Great Migration, which began with black people fleeing the Jim Crow South, as unaffordable housing forces them to continue to migrate, to seemingly never put down roots. Lucas has a personal connection to this story as his family moved to South Central Los Angeles when he was seven years old. He experienced overpolicing, the legacy of racial segregation, and the redlining of neighborhoods. Like Lucas, many black Angelenos moved to Pomona and other outlying communities to pursue happiness and escape the weight of oppression. Now, many are moving further away from the urban core to pursue affordable housing, and their own version of the American Dream.

This ongoing history was brought into tragic focus when the horrific Eaton Fire decimated the community of Altadena, California in January 2025. Lucas was there to capture images of those who lost their homes. His ability to earn the trust of his subjects allows the viewer intimate glimpses of human dignity and struggle. Altadena holds a poignant role in the history of the Great Migration. When black families sought a new life in the Greater Los Angeles area, many arrived to find neighborhoods inaccessible because of racist redlining policies and housing covenants. Altadena offered a rare place of refuge where black Americans could own a home and lay a foundation for a better life. Now, many are struggling to retain this connection to place as they attempt to rebuild their community.

The Apt #31 project explores home in a more intimate context. For this series Lucas gained access to a one-bedroom apartment to document the family life within. Apt #31 offers views into private spaces, bringing into focus the question of whether the photographer has the power to capture objective reality. The intimacy and interiority of the space contrast with Lucas’s usual modus operandi of photographing public outdoor spaces.

Julian Lucas (b.1974, USA) is a contemporary artist based in Claremont, whose aim is to challenge social norms through his photographs that range from fine art to photojournalism, always true to analog techniques. In 2015, he founded Mirrored Society – a photo bookstore cherishing a worldwide collection of the finest photobooks. In 2018, he launched Print Pomona Art Book Fair to host independent photobook publishers and sellers, later leading to the creation of The Pomonan – a digital platform for independent and censorship-free journalism.