viewfromaloft

July 2012 Mural Posts

"Peasant Saint" (2001)  Norma Montoya and Yamilette Montoya Duarte. Photo: Helen Ly

A round-up of my mural and street art posts at KCET.org. Bonus: Woody Guthrie talks Skid Row.

The Cardboard and Chalk of Downtown L.A.
 July 26, 2012: A series of recent pop-up street art, from chalk drawings to cardboard installations, has been designed to invoke political and social commentary.
 
A Mural Installation Isn't a Weapon of Mass Reproduction
July 24, 2012: Advocating for paint-only murals border on censorship and elitism, as well as contradict how David Siqueiros pushed technology until his passing in 1974.

'Peasant Saint' In Little Tokyo a Spiritual Mashup
July 16, 2012: A mural in Little Tokyo honors the Spanish, Jewish, American-Indian, and African-Americans that lived in the area before it became the center of Japanese American activity.

Mural Ordinance Grievances: What to Expect [UPDATED]
July 12, 2012: The mural ordinance hearing is currently under way. Here's a rundown of what to expect.

Guide: Downtown Art Walk, July 12, 2012
July 11, 2012: It's that time again.This checklist is a chance to take a look at what is happening in city core's art world.

Mural 'Replicas' Installed on the 101 Freeway
July 6, 2012: New mural replicas printed on recycled plastic and vinyl make the commute on the 101 freeway a little bit easier on the eyes.

ARTBOUND

From Lincoln Heights to Los Feliz: Woody Guthrie's Time in Los Angeles
July 17, 2012: Singer and songwriter Woody Guthrie, who would have been 100 years old last Saturday, found his writing voice in Los Angeles, specifically in Skid Row.

Guest Editorials

Muralist Judy Baca On L.A.'s Digital Divide
July 19, 2012: Muralists have embraced innovative technology to advance L.A.'s mural tradition -- but some paint-only advocates have been holding them back.

Art Walk Add: Task Force In Action. City Hall releases statement.

Art Walk Talk: A release from City Hall taps into the current buzz as covered in Art Walk Preview.  It states that the August Art Walk will be the first month LAFD and the County Health Department will "no longer issue any permits for vending between 3rd and 7th street and Spring and Main, areas identified to be overly congested by art walk activities."

The two agencies, part of the Art Walk task force, are working to "expedite permits" with interested vendors in the areas outside the zone, designed to shift Art Walk's growth outside the four-block area in Downtown's Historic Core and Gallery Row.

“Art Walk is an organic event that has grown in attendance and popularity alongside the revitalization of our urban downtown," said Councilwoman Jan Perry in the Wednesday morning statement.  "Our number one priority is to support public safety efforts and ensure that Art Walk continues as a sustainable, positive event for the entire Los Angeles community."

“Art Walk is a fantastic event that draws thousands downtown and we want to ensure that it remains active and viable,” says Councilmember José Huizar.  “We’re hopeful that the safety changes we’re implementing for tomorrow’s Art Walk will allow us to reduce large crowds drawn to non-art related activities.”

In the Historic Core, Spring street divides Perry's 9th District and Huizar's 14th District.

The statement also says the city will continue police presence to handle previous turn restrictions on Main for northbound traffic at 3rd and 4th, and on Spring from southbound traffic at 4^th St. and 6th St.

Inspectors from different departments will keep sidewalks clear of DJ equipment, craft vendors and carts, plus monitor permitted food / craft lots. The city is prepared to shut down unpermitted lots.

 

* Buyer Beware: Council Votes to Prohibit Purchase of Animals on City’s Sidewalks and Streets

From September 2009, a seller is detained after authorities made one of many sweeps for illegal animal sales in Santee Alley. A motion was passed today to penalize those who purchase animals sold illegally on the streets of Los Angeles.  Photo / Ed Fuentes

UPDATE: Since only 11 members were present at the meeting, the ordinance will come back for a final vote on August 10 and, if passed, the ordinance will go into effect 30 days after it is signed by the Mayor.

 

 

An ordinance that prohibits the purchase of animals on public sidewalks or streets in the City of Los Angeles received unanimous support today, says Councilwoman Jan Perry in a statement.

“The sale of live animals on city sidewalks and streets poses a real risk to these vulnerable animals and the public at large. Many of these animals are not vaccinated, have been taken from their mothers too soon, or may even carry dangerous bacteria like salmonella,” Perry wrote. “With the adoption of this ordinance, we are closing a loophole in our existing codes, making it illegal to buy and sell animals in this inhumane manner. By doing so, we hope to increase public awareness and personal responsibility.”

Downtown Vid Pick: 'Los Angeles in the 20s'

 

VID PICK HISTORY EDITION: There is no music with this clip. In fact, there is not much documentation other than the Ford logo on the title cards. This silent travelouge of Los Angeles takes you through Central Park (Pershing Square), downtown's "Retail District," University of California (aka UCLA), "The Old Plaza," and includes a rare glimpse at the Hill street tunnel that once bore through a larger footprint of Bunker Hill.

Previous like-minded clips:

Broadway in the 1980s [vfal]

1898 /  South Spring Street by Thomas Edison [youtube] + and how it looks now? [youtube]

Arts District as Silent Film Location for Buster Keaton [vfal]

 

Part-Time Curator Discovers LAUSD's Art Collection Worth Millions

Journalist Diana Chapman does her take on Leslie Fischer, the "very part-time curator" for LAUSD who is the lone caretaker for the school district's collection of art and antiquities, like the Roman coins and Etruscan figurines once found.

This is no small collection, and Fischer has been able create partnerships with institutions.  LAUSD's most valuable painting, worth $2 million, is currently on loan to the Autry.

There is a Ghost of a Chance for Pro Football to come back to L.A.

Downtown Dios de los Muertos wearing California shades designed as a pro football team logo. 

ADDED 12.18: The introduction of renderings for AEG's proposed stadium were revealed Dec. 15.

 

Bringing NFL football back to Los Angeles is an idea that simply will not die.

The duel between Tim Leiweke and Ed Roski to resurrect L.A. as a NFL town is turning into a quarterback controversy between two players with high Power Rankings.

ESPN reports Vikings vice-president of public affairs Lester Bagley has stated both camps have approached the team to discuss relocation. The Vikings lease at their civic-owned stadium will soon end and there has been no commitment on a public funded stadium complex.

Now it has been reported that AEG plans to buy 35% of the San Diego Chargers, another team that has been on the relocation short list. Like the Vikings, they want a new stadium and have been unable to get beyond a conceptual rendering. Of course, the sale is being denied.

It also means that even if L.A. can land a team it won’t be naming it, disappointing provincial purists who prefer Los Angeles to finally have a sports franchise reflecting the region, not East Coast migration patterns.

There is some consolation with the Chargers's name. It has a L.A. pedigree. The Los Angeles Chargers are a charter AFL team and played here for one year.   The Los Angeles Vikings sounds out of place, but if they moved to Downtown it would have another relocated Minnesotan next door in The Lakers.

The bright side to a team that comes with a name is the tired snark won't come up;  monikers like LA Traffic, Taggers, or Wanna-bes.

Still, a new name can be more than a nod to the city and the diverse cultures that have a shared tradition.  Like the locals who honor the dead: Mexico’s Dias De Los Muertos in November,  Japan’s Obon Festival in August, the Chinese Ghost Festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month.

The Los Angeles Spirit, L.A. Phantom, or even Los Muertos. Crazed and loyal costumed L.A. football fans can fill a section dubbed The Haunt.

Not only that, naming a team after cultural apparitions would honor the long list of pro football teams that once played in L.A. and are no longer with us.

 

Professional Football Teams in Los Angeles

Los Angeles Buccaneers  (1926)  National Football League
Los Angeles Wildcats  (1926) American Football League *
California Shamrocks  (1935-1935?)  Pacific Coast Professional Football League
Hollywood Braves  (1935-1935?)  Pacific Coast Professional Football League
Los Angeles (Southern California) Maroons  (1935-1935) Pacific Coast Professional Football League
Westwood Cubs   (1935-1935?)  Pacific Coast Professional Football League
Hollywood Stars (1936-1938)  California Pro Football League
Los Angeles Bulldogs (1937) American Football League II*
Los Angeles Bulldogs  (1940-1945) Pacific Coast Professional Football League
Hollywood Bears  (1940-1942, 1945)  Pacific Coast Professional Football League
Los Angeles Mustangs (1943-1944) Pacific Coast Professional Football League
Hollywood Rangers (1944) American Football League lll*
Los Angeles Wildcats (1944) American Football League lll*
Hollywood Wolves (1944)  Pacific Coast Professional Football League
Los Angeles Dons (1946-1949)  All American Football Conference
Los Angeles Rams 1 (1947-1995) National Football League
Los Angeles Chargers 2  (1960-1961 )  American Football League lV*
Long Beach Admirals (1967) Continental Football League
Los Angeles Express  (1983-1985) United States Football League
Los Angeles Raiders 3 (1982-1995) National Football League
Los Angeles Cobras  (1988) Arena Football League
Los Angeles Xtreme  ( 2001) X Football League
Los Angeles Avengers  (2000-2009)  Arena Football League 

ADD: Southern California Sun (1974 -1975) World Football League

* There were four unrelated leagues over history named "American Football League."
1: Anaheim Stadium (Orange County) in 1980  /  St. Louis in 1995.
2: Moved to San Diego in 1961
3: Returned to Oakland in 1995.

List via L.A. Almanac

Graphic: (c) 2010 ed fuentes/ viewfromaloft

Saturday Night Gronk

Gronk Previews Sunday Studio from MOCA on Vimeo.

 

HE IS AHEAD OF TWO CULTURAL CURVES  by helping to establish Los Angeles's place on a national fine art platform, and daring to live in Downtown Los Angeles. Often introduced as an East L.A. artist, he is one of 140 artists being featured at MOCA's "The Artist's Museum." Also, this founding member of ASCO has also been a Downtown fixture since the 70s, roaming early galleries and punk clubs while holding court in a loft.

Not only that, Facebook posts are also an experiment in urban pop-abstracttion. Currently unfolding are his "THE COVETED NO-MOVIE AWARD."

Above, Gronk previews a day of leading museum goers in painting for a November 7th Sunday Studio event at MOCA Grand Avenue.

From 2008, Daniel Hernandez profiles ASCO.  [The Art Outlaws of East L.A.]

Let me take you to Funicular Town

 

Angels Flight, 3rd and Hill Street circa 1910. Note the "vegetarian cafeteria" on the right. 

 
Angels Flight, 3rd and Hill Streets circa late 60s.

 

Angels Flight car Olivet being placed back on the tracks, November, 2008.

Angels Flight reopens Monday, March 15, reports blogdowntown. As the press release says "Bring quarters." Meanwhile, CurbedLA notes that a soft opening on Saturday, continued today, Sunday.

After nine years, Downtown has changed. Maybe the changes around Bunker Hill are not as dramatic as previous opening and reopening days, but it is a different urban core. Now the question is, how can Angels Flight it be part of Art Walk?

[KPCC]

Photos from Metro Library and Archives flickr set [Angels Flight]

L.A.: Who Loves It?

On a Valentine's Day that has the East Coast dressed up like monkeys and Eskimos, one almost wants to take a ride down 6th Street with the top down. While you do that, mull want other song could take the place of this almost 30-year-old anthem. Not many come to mind.

Video: "I Love LA" by Randy Newman 

All Aboard: Gold Line Begins Service

It's been a long wait for this train. Today, the $898-million Gold Line Extension begins. From Union Station, it will float over the 101 and land in Little Tokyo and the Arts District before heading over the river into the Eastside.

On Saturday, a ribbon was cut at Union Station before the brightest train of the fleet made it's way into the East L.A. Civic Center station. On board were elected officials, Metro officials, and community transportation advocates taking a ride to the dedication ceremonies at the East Los Angeles Civic Center. Civic formality was saved for the speeches; the ride itself was a road trip. 

Later, at blogdowntown, I will have a peek at what the quiet trip back into Downtown looked like on Saturday. For now, here's part of the Gold Line ride heading into East Los Angeles. You will recognize the conductor calling out the last stop. 

The Los Angeles Artist and Business Association will have a table at the Arts District/Little Tokyo Station on Sunday. New maps of the arts district will be on hand.

LAIST has foodie advice. [view]

LA Eastside has party advice [view]

LATimes critic says the line doesn't just extend a ride in and out of  town, but the  "physical and psychological terrain of Los Angeles." [view]

LATimes foodies leave out Arts District (which may have been a strategy to keep the lines short at Wurstkuche) .  [view]