Turning Construction Walls into Art
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — I haven't been down by LA Live in a week or two, so it was cool to pass by yesterday and see that the construction fencing has been covered with art from various youth organizations. The project walls on Figueroa, Chick Hearn Court, and Olympic (pictured) display panels contributed by a variety of groups, including Downtown names like ArtShare and Inner-City Arts.
I can't seem to find more information about this project online, but I'll certainly update with a link to that if I can find something.
What kills me about this, though, is that I should have been able to tell you about this months ago. On September 21st I posted this photo as part of a post on Macy's double store dilemma. The former Bullock's Department Store space at 7+Fig had been open with an art project going on inside.
I saw this work going on several times and each time I'd say "There's a cool story here. I need to find out what's up." Turns out the panels found inside were for this project. When I saw them up on Olympic I kicked myself for not following through on that.
Jose on December 11, 2006, at 06:22PM – #1
Years ago, I docented at Hollyhock House during the time access to Barnsdall Park was limited by the construction tunnel for the Red Line.
Where the Hollywood and Western station construction pit was, the surrounding walls had been decorated with murals and panels of colored mirror glass which provided an interesting sequence of reflective vertical stripes spaced several feet apart.
It may have been the nicest construction wall I have ever seen.
Unfortunately, the mirrored glass (or whatever it was) was almost immediately and regularly pilfered until it was gone. I did remember seeing someone comment in writing that "it was probably just too nice for the neighborhood"
Whitman Lam on December 11, 2006, at 11:39PM – #2
Very true, sometimes these temporary walls are even more interesting and elaborate than the permanent ones.
What happens to them is such a waste of artform.