Last Days of 'Main Street Recovery'

By Ed Fuentes
Published: Thursday, August 20, 2009, at 09:44AM

Regent_2 Ed Fuentes [Flickr]

"Main Street Recovery" on the Regent. August 19, 2009.

Regent Ed Fuentes [Flickr]

The Regent in January, 2006.


DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — It was bound to happen sometime.

My temporary mural "Main Street Recovery" will be taken down next week, according to Tom Gilmore. For the last 18 months, the piece has hung over Main Street's Regent Theater.

Designed in 2007, the piece was a way to commemorate Main Street's transition during the year of the City of Los Angeles' 225th anniversary.

Even since its installation, the idea behind 'Main Street Recovery" has held fast: you need active people in the streets to maintain community, just as anyone in recovery needs a support group.

Now, the front of the Regent is experiencing its own recovery. A few years ago, the empty theater and battered marquee made for an imposing relic. Today, the Regent is in good hands as Little Radio moves forward with plans to give the theater a facelift.

"Main Street Recovery" had a good shelf life, and really bookmarked the street during 2008 and more than halfway through 2009. In Gallery Row time, that's eighteen Art Walks.

Main Street Recovery / The Regent Theater (448 S Main St) / Designed by Ed Fuentes

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Comments

1
anthony costantino writes:

I live in the area and enjoy walking past your mural, Ed. I don't care much for fine art, but art with function, an engineering purpose or an unpretentious focus on humanity and community is something I can appreciate. I hope to see more of your work around.

# on Aug.20.2009 AT 10:32 AM
2
Ed Fuentes writes:

Thanks Anthony. It was designed just as that: art that told the story on community.

# on Aug.20.2009 AT 10:50 AM
3
Tom Gilmore writes:

Ed, It was great to be able to have your mural on the Regent this last year and a half, it's going to look a little lonely without it. We're going to keep putting it up now and then at different locations on and around Main Street, particularly during Artwalk. Thanks again, It's a great work and made a huge difference for all of us on the street.

# on Aug.21.2009 AT 10:18 AM
4
Ed Fuentes writes:

Thanks Tom. That's a practical alternative to my idea. I was thinking of renting a catering truck, and wrapping it with the mural, and driving around Art Walk.

# on Aug.21.2009 AT 11:37 AM
5
jbr writes:

any new plans for the exterior wall space?

# on Aug.21.2009 AT 01:13 PM
6
Ed Fuentes writes:

Little Radio will be using the space.

# on Aug.21.2009 AT 01:22 PM
7
CarynHo writes:

Speaking of Little Radio, I haven't seen them open in awhile. Maybe I'm just walking by at the wrong times. And I noticed Stephanie closed her clothing store. Is that space available for rent?

# on Aug.21.2009 AT 05:17 PM
8
Resident writes:

I've lived at 5th and Main since Jan. 2008 and never saw the theater without it. What a big difference it made.

Hopefully they can give it a good facelift because it really looks naked without the mural.

# on Aug.22.2009 AT 09:02 AM
9
Pamela Rouse writes:

^Hi Resident.. I got a few pix from today (and posted a compilation on my personal blog) but here's a link to what the Regent looked like @ about 730pm: http://www.flickr.com/photos/meekorouse/3847455656/

# on Aug.22.2009 AT 08:34 PM

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