viewfromaloft

KCET Post: Muralist Ruben Soto

Another mural is restored. Photo courtesy Ruben Soto.

In Ruben Soto's Restored Echo Park Mural, the "Eyes" Have It  [view]

Artists Bloc II Backstory at KCET

Photo by Sandy Rodriguez

Guest Editorial at KCET has Sandy Rodriguez write about the artists, including herself, who worked on the interior mural at The América Tropical Interpretive Center. view [KCET}

April 2013 Posts

Take a photo of street art or a mural, and the photograph becomes a interesting form of collage. That's one of the topics in this month's round up of my posts at KCET.org.

January, February 2013 Posts

 

Photo Courtesy of Elliott Barkan

 

Here's a list of my KCET contributions in January and February of 2013. Not a moment too soon. A March roundup is around the corner.

December 2012 Posts

 

Larry Kmetz with "L.A. Creation." Photograph by Gabe Green.

A list of posts for December 2012. KCET I Departures I Writing on the Wall

August and September 2012 Mural Posts

Pardon me while I catch you up with my August and September posts at KCET.

Cityscape: Mural or not a mural?

 "Cityscape" by Andre Miripolsky in Pershing Square. Aug. 11, 2012. Photo by Helen Ly / viewfromaloft

Artist Andre Miripolsky updated his Downtown Los Angeles "Cityscape" sculpture, which also became a mural at Pershing Square. The sculpture itself sits in the offices of Central City East Association.  The image became 15 X 50 mural, a Pac Mutual commission for Art-Squared Gallery at Pershing Square, an outdoor art program that reached its 5th year of exhibiting curated works in public space. 

Behind the scenes here, I've been having interesting conversations with artists and muralists working on help set policy for the mural ordinance. In the eyes of some, this is a mural. For others, this piece should not be considered public art supported by the mural ordinance because: it was not painted by hand; it is an installation; and/or because it's on vinyl; or it is a "replica."

Here are some posts from the ongoing mural coverage at KCET.

From July 19: "L.A.'s Digital Divide" by Judy Baca.

I have long been proud to be a muralist in this city, as the designation was synonymous with being progressive and in favor of community voice; the most open minded stance. However, on July 12, 2012, a group of fellow muralists stopped the new mural ordinance passage, thereby continuing the ban against murals on private buildings in the City of Los Angeles. The most fervent goal of the group seemed to be to insure that innovation not occur in mural processes by those of us leading new innovative methods of production in muralism that include the use of technology.

They declare that a mural produced as a hand painted, fine artist-rendered, original artwork, printed and adhered to a wall, is not a mural. Only paint directly applied on the site, to a wall, is a mural. This argument to limit artist's means of production is reminiscent of a debate, a few years back, which argued that a mural painted with acrylic was not a mural; only murals painted in fresco constituted real murals, said past naysayers, and acrylic murals should not be subject to the protection of the VARA Act.

 

From August 8: "How to get the mural ordinance right" by Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles.

The distinction between "Original Mural Art" and "Public Art Installation" should be made as a consequence of an artwork requiring a safety inspection because it includes elements or is placed on a substrate that must be attached to a structure. Yet, rather than adopting language regarding public safety, the new draft makes a distinction based on artistic medium without regard for the installation process.

A hand-painted artwork applied directly to the surface of a wall does not require a safety inspection because it poses no risk of public safety after its completion. However, other processes do. Digitally printed images, for example, produced by printing the image on substrates ranging from light pliable materials to rigid constructions of wood or metal, must be attached to a wall somehow.

The definition should then be centered upon what seems obvious: is a safety inspection required? MCLA firmly believes that the privilege of defining what art is and what it is not, resides with artists, not with municipalities and commissions.

ALSO: A Mural Installation Isn't A Weapon of Mass Reproduction. [Ed at KCET]

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.

More Murals on the 101

Frank Romero's reproduced "Going to the Olympics" has company. Caltrans installed 4 new pieces on the 101 Freeway.  More at KCET  [Mural "Replicas" Installed on the 101 Freeway]

Photo by Helen Ly

April 2012 Mural Posts

Site of David Alfaro Siqueiros' "America Tropical" at El Pueblo's Olvera Street. Photo by Maria Lopez

 

Bringing Back Calle: The original street name of Broadway in downtown Los Angeles is also the name of an important mural now undergoing restoration by SPARC.

 [Calle de la Eternidad' Mural on Broadway is About Moving Inspiration]

Return of a Rebel: A major step in the long awaited conservation of David Alfaro Siqueiros politically charged mural I April 24

[A Big Lift Toward Protecting Siqueiros' América Tropical Mural]

Key Art: The design concepts are playing out well for the artists participating in LACO's public art project I April 23 

[LACO's 'Play Me' Pianos Play On]

Business Angle: Street art has become big business, with downtown L.A. seemingly determined to be "The Mural Economic Capital Of The World." I April 19

[The Growing Buzz of Street Art Biz]

Hidden History: Newly discovered sketch for a 1974 mural shows the beginning of political idealism of contemporary Chicano art I April 16

[Sketch of Early Chicano Mural Discovered]

Bear Your Soul: Deedee Cheriel's pop-modernist mural is appropriately framed by the Standard Hotel's mod personality riff on 1960s corporate chic I April 12

[Downtown Street Art Exposes The Bear Within]

Opening Number: Public spaces will be filled with music as pianos decorated by local artists are placed throughout Los Angeles I April 9

[Pianos Become Spontaneous Street Art in Public Space]

March 2012 Mural Posts at KCET