Converse and PAPER joined forces last week in the name of love to spotlight two up-and-coming artists, Alyse Arteaga and Pablo Banuelos, in a series called “Love, Chuck: Scenes from LA.” The two-day pop-up took over Kiosk-o-Thèque on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood on May 29 and 30, transforming it into a love letter to the city through the lens of the artists.
Each of them created a short film that reflects their unique take on Los Angeles. For 23-year-old Alyse Arteaga, who’s from Paramount and debuted her work for the first-ever time publicly, her piece Celluloid was a tribute to the physical medium of film and the places that have shaped her creative life. She used this Converse All Star opportunity to spotlight the local business she worked with in the film Developed in Compton.
The Celluloid installation leaned into that analog nostalgia — think film stills hanging on string, vintage and modern cameras on display, and even a display of disposable cameras for guests to take home for their own creative projects.
Pablo Banuelos, 24, grew up in the San Gabriel Valley and based his film around a place he holds close: the DTLA Flower District. For Banuelos, what specifically makes the city special are the communities of color that create and push culture, and his entire family came to support the display curated by Converse. His film, Flower District, offers a dreamy glimpse into that world. The florist in the story is played by actress Evanelly Aguilar, who also makes handmade hair pieces through her line, Moños De Mi Niñez.
Converse brought Banuelos’ vision to life with a giant wall of real flowers designed by Glorimer Flower & Company and take-home bouquets from Danny’s Flowers. Visitors hung out in front of the three-part kiosk, sipping juices by Crenshaw Juice Company, snapping photos on disposables, flowers in hand and, naturally, wearing their best Chucks.
The Converse All Star program connects young creatives in 26 cities all over the world, enabling incredible art like these two shorts. The year long program enables talented creators to collaborate amongst themselves and create with Converse, highlighting their talents to the world. Applications to join the Converse All Star Program open on June 6, 2025. For more information visit: converse.com/c/all-stars.
This article is a collaboration between Converse and PAPER.
Photography: Kevin Gonzalez
