“Our family has deep roots in Manhattan Beach. My father served as a city councilman for over a decade and he was the mayor of Manhattan Beach for three terms,” said Sweeney. “This project was bittersweet for me to put together, but I wanted to give a proper farewell to my family residence. After the photos were taken down, what remained are memories of my youth and a place in time.”

The collection of photographs were originally taken by Mike Sweeney, Gary’s father. The senior Sweeney took hundreds of pictures documenting family events and even built a darkroom located in the upstairs of the home where he developed most of the photos.

In addition to the photo installation, the book's authors Wendy Weil Atwell and Neil Fauerso  discuss the social and economic factors that shaped Sweeney’s childhood, the astronomical increase in real estate values, the meaning of home, photography’s role in society, and the Southern California art movements that inspired and influenced Sweeney’s art.

“This project brings a moment in time back to life for a brief period as the face of South Bay continues to change and evolve,” said Sweeney. “This book conveys my memoir to the house where memories were made and shared. I’m just grateful I can share that with everyone.”

Manhattan Beach Memoir: Artist Gary Sweeney Says Goodbye to His Childhood Home is available for purchase on Amazon at www.amzn.to/2ws0upy. The book is also available on the publisher’s website, Material Media, at https://bit.ly/2F7Mjgn.