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DTLA bus benches to host art, not ads, this summer

By Hayley Fox
Published: Friday, July 05, 2013, at 02:16PM
Screenshot of an image from Dulce Pinzón's "Superhero" series

Dulce Pinzón is one of the two artists whose work will be displayed on select bus benches through downtown L.A. and the Boyle Heights neighborhood. This image shows Spider-Man window-washing a skyscraper.



DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Starting Friday, twenty bus benches in downtown Los Angeles and the Boyle Heights neighborhood will have art, not advertising.

This public art project is an effort by Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar along with the City of Los Angeles’ and the Canada-based group.

“This project gives us the opportunity to bring art to the public right-of-way,” said Huizar in a statement.

Huizar worked with Martin Outdoor Media — which oversees more than 5,000 bus benches throughout L.A. — to secure up to 100 benches for art installations until they are leased for advertising.

These benches will display works by two artists; Dulce Pinzón and Jon Rafman.

Pinzón's photographs are part of her in which she shows Mexican immigrants dressed as superheros and working in everyday jobs, from being a nanny to a construction worker.

Rafman's images come from his project, in which he captures surprising scenes and shocking scenarios through Google Earth Street View. Photos include a moose running down a highway in Norway, a monkey park in Japan, and a car on fire in Brazil.

"With an ostensibly neutral gaze, the Street View photography exhibits a spontaneous quality unspoiled by the sensitivities or agendas of a human photographer," according to a news release from Huizar's office.

The that Martin Outdoor Media signed a contract in 2011 with the City, to install up to 6,000 bus benches.

All the art installation will be on bus benches within the 14th City Council District.

Benches in and near downtown L.A. that will be getting the artistic treatment are located at:

  • 9th and Maple streets
  • Broadway and 6th Street
  • Broadway and W. 1st Street
  • Figueroa Street and Pico Boulevard
  • Hill and 5th streets
  • Main Street and Pico Boulevard
  • Olympic Boulevard and Olive Street
  • Spring and Temple streets

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    Katherine McNenny on July 05, 2013, at 04:57PM – #1

    I am all for the art on benches concept- it is creative and clever, but in CD14- there is a glaring lack of even the benches THEMSELVES that needs to be addressed 1st.

    I am unclear if this is an oversight by Martin Outdoor Media, the City or both, but many, many residents of Skid Row have been clamoring for bus benches for this neighborhood for years! We would not even have any bus STOPS, were it not for a couple of dedicated local activist residents that worked with Metro. Now- we need benches (shade structures too)- specifically @ the very busy stops @ 5th & San Pedro & 7th & San Pedro- Skid Row is a community with approx. 10k residents- the continued lack of bus benches for the many thousands of working class/low income folks who NEED to take the bus in and out of the area and also the growing number of loft owners & renters who also take the bus 'round here is unacceptable. This LA Weekly article seems to give some insight with this quote(http://blogs.laweekly.com/arts/2012/02/new_bus_benches_los_angeles.php):

    "The actual science of how and where these bus benches appear is a bit more backward. The advertising companies, not the city, choose the location. Naturally, ad companies want eyeballs in higher-income neighborhoods, so that's where the bulk of the benches go -- not in the lower-income neighborhoods that are more transit-dependent."



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