In Fareed Zakaria's 2008 book The Post-American World, he argues that the end of U.S. economic and cultural hegemony is upon us, as the growth of countries such as China, Brazil, India and Russia will lead to a balancing out of power across the globe. While these nations stake out their territory as dominant world powers, the United States is faced with its own increasingly unstable financial climate. It seems imminent that in the struggle for influence, the U.S. will no longer find itself at the helm as director of the rest of the world, but will have to learn how to exist as a team player, equal to or trailing other nations instead of dominating them. In preparation for this major global shift, it is critical that the plans for the community we wish to see in ten years time should be considered today. With the economy in flux and a change of political power at hand we may examine what impact such changes will have on our city, neighborhoods, schools, hospitals and social services in the coming years. By 2019, the population of Los Angeles is projected to increase by several million inhabitants (projections vary, yet they are mostly slated to be immigrants from Latin America and Asia). As it stands today, the demographics of the city already reflect transitioning populations, such as soldiers returning home from war, increasing homeless and prison populations, and new hordes of unemployed and uninsured Angelinos. How will we find our footing in a new global society without fully examining our preparedness on the local level? The exhibition Post-American L.A. features artists that question the scope, sphere and impact of American authority, from the international stage to municipal politics. As the power of influence exercised by the United States is waning, it is critical to underscore this changing course of history with realistic reflection. Drawing from a variety of strategies, such as installations rooted in community-outreach, research based video work, conceptual text-based interrogations, works on paper, painting and sculpture, the artists in Post-American L.A. are invited to consider distinct observations, proposals and strategies for our civic and national roles. Additionally, Los Angeles-based artist Sandra de la Loza, representing the collective The Pocho Research Society, will work as an artist-in-resident during the course of the exhibition developing a series of events entitled The Revolution Will... These encounters and discussions will include individuals from diverse sectors interfacing and dialoging about topics such as environmentalism, labor and alternative economies and the future of cultural production. Resulting materials including sound recordings, video footage, photographs, collectively created drawings and maps will be incorporated into an ongoing multi-media installation, in which the artist acts as a performative archivist.