It’s All Green to Me: Hardcore Questions for Eden Cvengros
Local phenom Connie Sgarbossa, former front woman of SeeYouSpaceCowboy, taking the mic at San Diego’s Che Cafe.
“Where there are young people and vitality, you’re going to find punk rock … the pushing back of authority, the pushing back of established structures of authority, of government, of the way it is, questioning anything and everything, to me, is punk rock.” — Henry Rollins
Generation Z film photographer and San Diego local Eden Cvengros contends there’s nothing more radical than being yourself. Through the resurgence of zine culture and DIY punk aesthetics, Eden has found solace as a creative in the anti-hierarchical structures and analog dreams of San Diego’s fiercely independent music scene. A community of friends bucking trends has empowered Eden to trust her process and dare to create on her own terms.
Her work is a new look at a movement that’s been brewing for generations.
With local legendary hardcore agitators John Reis and Justin Pearson leading the mosh, San Diego’s Generation X was supposed to ignite the fuse to the powder keg of 1990s disaffected youth. Then, Seattle’s Kurt Cobain annihilated those chances with the seismic release of Smells like Teen Spirit. These days, there’s plenty to scream about: while social media algorithms and AI rule the day, San Diego’s hardcore scene continues to rage alongside storied institutions, like the Ché Cafe and The Casbah, and their undying appetite for sticking it to the man.
Safelight: The ethos of hardcore/punk subculture is rooted in a DIY mindset. Do you see film photography as an expression of that mindset?
Eden: Doing it yourself is great to express dedication to the craft. In a world where money talks and things come your way so fast, it’s enjoyable to spend the time to create something yourself. I can admit that the greatest lessons and skills I have learned have been from people who know far more than me because they have been doing this much much longer. There are so many things in photography that can be done DIY — bulk loading, development, printing, alternative photo/camera methods — it’s truly a haven for people who like to try new things.
Ethan Belford shaping a guitar in his garage shop.
Brand shoot for shattering.
Safelight: Venues like, Ché Cafe and The Casbah, are considered historic, radical institutions of San Diego’s punk/hardcore underground. Why do you think these spaces have endured, and remain relevant in the scene?
Eden: I am not a core member of the Ché so my perspective might not be the same as they would describe it. They, first and foremost, are a community space and they appeal to the needs of the community. It’s all ages, a sober space, no barricades, and they have limited rules for the self-expression of bands. It’s one of the last of its kind in San Diego. The need for spaces like that is so crucial in a time of profit leading decisions, and it shows that people agree with Ché due to how far out they are booked.
Illinois-based emo band Summer 2000 at the Che Cafe.
Safelight: Photography and music are creative mediums that evoke potent, visceral emotion. Why do you find yourself riveted by San Diego’s independent music apparatus, and compelled to photograph it?
Eden: I initially got into it because I have friends with their own bands and it grew from there. It’s something different when you see your friends doing something more out there and true to themselves that makes me enjoy doing something that feels true to myself. I am lessening my work in the show scene to allow other photo endeavors into my life which excite me just as much and give me more creative control. Like all the things I photograph, these things feel important to remember and share. They are creating history however big or small or how far its reach is, and that matters. Someday what I shoot may be important, and, right now, it feels like I’m just collecting endless photos that never see the light of day. I still shoot because of what I might capture and I think my best photo has yet to be taken.
San Diego hardcore band Purest Bond, shot in the studio at Safelight Labs.
The band Threadbare at the Whistle Stop.
Safelight: Your self-published zine conveys a sense of nonconformity and how art frees the mind from societal expectations. How has San Diego and its cultural environment shaped your identity and approach to creativity?
Eden: The arts scene in San Diego is incredibly dense and extremely intertwined. Multiple factors like the hardcore scene, gay community, and all of the creative people in those spaces show me a side of self-expression that was not taught in my upbringing. Anything and everything can be used in art and there really aren’t rules, there are just opinions. I learn from and admire many photographers, tattooers, illustrators, and other physical media artists. Simply being around other creative people changed me dramatically in how I think about my work. My friends are constantly putting out fresh work and pursuing their skills and they are some of the best in San Diego to do it. It’s hard to be surrounded with such great minds and not do something about it myself.
Personal shoot for Eden’s tufted rugs.
San Diego State’s KCR college radio’s management team (2023-2024 school year).
