P-22 and Friends - Public Art Tributes to Local Mountain Lions

 

The sad demise of our famous "Hollywood Cat," formally known by the National Park Service as puma P-22,1 has prompted public artworks honoring his amazing 12 years in the wild, crossing no fewer than two major freeways from his birth in the western Santa Monica mountains to his long-time home in Griffith Park and the Hollywood Hills.  

P-22 achieved such star status that the Park Service dubbed him "ambassador for urban wildlife,"  inspiring a 2017 L.A. Times "week in the life" feature, the National Wildlife Federation's #SaveLACougars campaign, yearly festivals in his honor at Griffith Park, and these recent murals showcasing his 123-pound physique. 

Watts P-22 Wildlife Mural (2021)
by Jonathan Martinez

Long Live The King (2022) by Corie Mattie

    

These public art tributes to cougar P-22 himself continue California's history of splendid public artworks of native pumas.2

Cougars I and II by Gwynn Murrill

Cougar Park Mural by Art Mortimer

Cougar Intagio (2008) by Gwynn Murrill

RECENT MURALS OF P-22

Long Live The King (December, 2022) by Corie Mattie

(mural tribute to P-22;  Melrose Avenue near Ogden, Los Angeles)

Silver Lake Peace Love & P-22 Mural (October, 2022) by Corie Mattie

(mural tribute to P-22; 1932 Hyperion Avenue, Silver Lake District, Los Angeles)

Watts P-22 Wildlife Mural (April, 2021) by Jonathan Martinez

(mural tribute to P-22;  Compton Avenue & E. Century Blvd., Los Angeles)

--------------------------------

1  The National Park Service's official label for this puma is P-022.

2  The term mountain lion is synonymous with puma, cougar, panther, and catamount.

The Central Library at 90: Public Art Abounds

"Light of Learning"
(1926) by Lee Lawrie

1926 Goodhue Building Exterior Sculpture

As the beloved Los Angeles Central Library reaches 90 years young, it's a fascinating time to enjoy the Library's two distinct eras of public art and architecture.  For the original 1926 Goodhue building, the exterior limestone bas relief sculptures were artistically fused into the architectural façades.  The interior murals, stencil painting and sculptural lighting were designed in tandem with the architectural structure of walls, arches and ceilings.

With the Library's renovation in 1993, new sculptures and murals were integrated into the restored Goodhue building, the new Bradley Wing and Atrium, and the Maguire Gardens.

The Library Chandeliers

Compare the different approaches to integrating public art and architecture with the Library's famous chandeliers.  In the Goodhue Building Rotunda, the bronze and glass "Zodiac Chandelier" draws the view upward to the painted sunburst ceiling.  In the Bradley Wing Atrium, skylights flooding the hall with light illuminate Therman Stanton's three "Chandeliers" and Ann Preston's "Illuminations" lamp sculptures, as well as the glass-fronted reading rooms. 

Bradley Wing Atrium
"Natural, Technological, Ethereal"
(1993) by Therman Statom
"Illuminations"
(1993) by Ann Preston

Goodhue Building Rotunda
"Zodiac Chandelier"
(1926) by Lee Lawrie
"Americanization of California" mural
(1932) by Dean Cornwell
untitled rotunda ceiling stenciling
(1926) by Julian Garnsey

Maguire Gardens

Although convenient to exit the library on the west side leading into the Maguire Gardens after viewing the library's interior, Jud Fine's multiple-component "Spine" installation structures the Gardens with stairs, pools and sculpture, all of which are designed to be experienced progressively from the Flower Street entrance.  So walk through the Gardens and make a point of re-entering them from Flower Street to experience the overall perspective of tiered fountains and etched stairs. 

Maguire Gardens

"Spine"

 (1993) by Jud Fine

SIGNS OF THE TIMES: Coronavirus Murals

Public Art shows its iconic value as a sign of the times,
good or bad, but always REAL.

A fabulous thing happens when people create public art to express something larger and
more profound than themselves: a new cultural reality is instantly and graphically cemented.

The COVID-19 pandemic is prompting creative artistic messages from Los Angeles to Indonesia, full of amusement, caution, gratitude, and hope.  These are the Public Service Announcements of our globally shared experience and empathy.

Here are some samples...

A humorous image shows Gollum (Lord of the Rings) 

and his "precious"...

Mural by Eme Freethinker, Berlin

L.A. artist Thierry Guetta (aka "Mr. Brainwash”) replaces his earlier 
Kobe Bryant tribute mural with his P.S.A. message
Mural by Thierry “Mr. Brainwash” Guetta, Los Angeles 

Children ride past the cautionary reminder
Mural in Deepok, Indonesia

“Angel” tribute murals: Medical personnel are given angel wings 
in honor of their dedication and service
Mural by Austen Zucchini-Fowler, Denver, Colorado

This tribute mural to medical personnel 
riffs on the iconic Rosie the Riveter image 

Mural by Emmalene Blake, Dublin, Ireland

This medical “angel” is supporting the world, and is in company 
with the iconic Aussie kangaroo
Melbourne, Australia

The famous Venice Public Art Walls at Venice Beach allow anyone to paint
Mural by Pony Wave, Venice Public Art Walls, Venice, Los Angeles

Best Valentine's Day Date - Public Art for Lovers

"Heroic Rendezvous" at Heisler Park, Laguna Beach

Visit the most charming and romantic public art across L.A. and Southern California. 

Artworks of friendship, love and passion are on show in many downtown plazas, parks and gardens, and we highlight some of the very best for Valentine's Day in Southern California.

A visit to these famous collections of sculptures, murals, and fountains - from the abstract to the whimsical -  promises amazement and delight, and maybe even a bit of love.

"Lucy and Desi" (2000)
by Francois Bardol

Public Art for Lovers 

Culver City:  downtown, Town Plaza and City Hall
   "Lucy and Desi" - downtown
   "Quotation Courtyard" - City Hall Courtyard
   "The Lion's Fountain"  - Town Plaza


Laguna Beach:  
Heisler Park Sculpture Garden 
   "Heroic Rendezvous"
   "Support"
Main Beach
   "Grace"

"Good Friends - Nakayoshi"
(1984) by Eiichi Ishida

Beverly Hills:  
Downtown  
   "Gordon and Lily"
Beverly Gardens Park
   "Hymn of Life: Tulips"
 

Newport Beach:  Central Library, 
Civic Center Park and Corporate Plaza 
   "Good Friends - Nakayoshi"
 

"Serenade" 
(2001) by Dee Clements

Cerritos:  Senior Center, Sculpture Garden 
and Civic Center
   "Serenade"
   "Illuminations"
   Cerritos Sculpture Garden

After you've visited some of these wonderful places, why not end the day at dusk to experience two of L.A.'s best illuminated public arworks:
"Urban Light" on Wilshire Blvd. in front of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art
and "Electric Fountain"

"Urban Light"

"Electric Fountain"

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorials and Parks

These Southern California memorials to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. are more than statues - they're impressive and moving artistic tributes with sculpture as well as landscape design.

One of the earliest memorials to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Southern California is this 1971 statue by Julian Martinez Soto in front of the San Bernardino City Hall. Funds for the statue and its 1981 installation and dedication came from a strong community effort, proudly described in several bronze plaques.
LOCATION: in front of Old City Hall, 300 N. "D" Street, San Bernardino, California, USA

In the Willowbrook area of South Los Angeles, across from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital, Tina Allen's bas relief sculpture of Rev. King, Jr. and Dr. Charles R. Drew has graced the corner of the King Drew Magnet High School for more than two decades.
LOCATION: 1601 E. 120th Street, Willowbrook, South Los Angeles, California, USA

"Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.and Dr. Charles R. Drew"
(1998) by Tina Allen

The City of Riverside's 1999 Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, on the City's Main Street Mall, contains the moving "I Have a Dream" sculpture by Lisa Reinertson, which depicts Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. striding forward with two young children under his arms. Etched quotations surround the sculpture and are embedded in the granite pavement.
LOCATION: Main Street Pedestrian Mall between 9th Street and University Avenue, Riverside, California, USA

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s image can be found in many tributes to famous heroes, and "World Stage Legacy" at the Los Angeles Colosseum presents an especially sensitive portrayal. The large 220-foot wide mural by David Flores shows an array of famous speakers and athletes who have appeared at the Los Angeles Colosseum. Next to President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr. is shown in a prayerful moment.

LOCATION: 3911 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

In addition to public artworks, two memorial parks in the Los Angeles area pay tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. with both recreational and contemplative features.
     The Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in South Los Angeles includes a baseball diamond, lighted basketball courts, lighted tennis courts, a children's play area and picnic tables.

LOCATION: Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, 3916 S. Western Avenue, South Los Angeles, California, USA

     The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Tree Grove was dedicated in March 2018. The inspirational pathway is flanked by boulders containing his inspiring quotes and leads to a 20-foot high obelisk monument. The memorial offers spectacular views of downtown Los Angeles, and by late 2020 it will connect a 13-mile Park-to-Playa trail between Baldwin Hills and the beach.
LOCATION: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Tree Grove, Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, 4100 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, California, USA

All photographs, videos and text are the sole property of Public Art in Public Places and are copyright protected from unauthorized use.
PUBLIC ART IN PUBLIC PLACES © 2020 All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction of website contents, inclusive of photographs, video, and text, is expressly prohibited.   

CHINESE NEW YEAR 2020 - Public Art

Los Angeles Chinatown's Public Art for 

The Year of the Rat

L.A.'s Chinatown is a wonderland of art and architecture. In honor of Chinese New Year 2020, we highlight these three locations of sculptures, statues and artistic features that reflect the beauty and variety of Chinese cultural traditions.   

Happy Chinese New Year 2020!

LOCATION #1:  Chinatown Gold Line Station

Chinatown's Metro Station is nothing short of incredible, and it serves as an excellent car-free entrance to L.A.'s Chinatown and its Chinese New Year festivities.  

Here you find the station artwork "The Wheels of Change", with pagoda-style architecture, a pavement medallion of Chinese Characters (with translations:  "Calculated Waiting," "Collective Force", etc.), stylized seating at ground level, and the large Chinese Bell across College St. to the south.

medallion, part of "The Wheels of Change" [photo: MTA]

Chinese Bell

LOCATION #2:  Chinatown Central Plaza

943 N. Broadway

Chinatown East Gate

Two blocks to the northwest is Chinatown's Central Plaza, flanked by east and west entrance gates in traditional Chinese style. 


The plaza has two popular public statues:  the bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen, recently re-gilded and facing the east entrance gate, and the bronze statue of Bruce Lee in one of his characteristically dynamic poses, located around the corner. 

Statue of Bruce Lee (2013)

Statue of Sun Yat-sen (circa 1961)

South of the plaza at 913 N. Broadway are the "Chinatown Mosaics" - three large ceramic tile mosaic panels mounted onto the façade of the Plum Tree Inn.  Each panel depicts a different theme and artistic style, created in Hong Kong by unknown artists. 

• "Picture of Viewing Waterfalls in Summer Mountains" created in the Sung Dynasty style (960-1279)

• "Palace in Heaven" depicting the monkey king from the 14th Century "Hsi-yu chi"/"Journey to the West" tale

• "Four Beauties Catching Swimming Fish" created in the southern China style

three Chinatown Mosaics (circa 1968)

"Four Beauties Catching Swimming Fish"
[detail]

LOCATION #3:  Thien Hau Temple
756 Yale Street

A 7-minute walk south on Yale St. from the Central Plaza is Thien Hau Taoist Temple, an incredible decorative masterpiece. 

The Chinese New Year's Midnight Temple Ceremony provides one of the best opportunities to view the Temple's artwork and architecture while enjoying the Ceremony's traditional incense burning, lion dancers, and 500,000 firecrackers.  Visitors may also make offerings to deities.

Midnight Temple Ceremony:

WHERE:  Thien Hau Temple, 756 Yale St., Chinatown, Los Angeles, California, USA

WHEN:  10:00 p.m. - 12:30 a.m., 

                Saturday, January 24, 2020

All photographs, videos and text are the sole property of Public Art in Public Places and are copyright protected from unauthorized use.

PUBLIC ART IN PUBLIC PLACES © 2020 All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction of website contents, inclusive of photographs, video, and text, is expressly prohibited.   

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY: Where is the Public Art?

Warriors, Dancers, Water Bearers and Horse-riders 

show us where

These five incredible public artworks pay tribute to Indigenous Peoples Day and to the cultural contributions of indigenous peoples that enrich our communities.

Southern California's oldest, and arguably most impressive, depiction of indigenous people is the focal point of the popular "Electric Fountain" in Beverly Hills:  a Tongva warrior kneeling in prayer.  The surprising dignity and humility of Robert Merrell Gage's 1931 Tongva warrior is nothing short of genius.

"Electric Fountain" (1931) by Robert Merrell Gage

Warrior at prayer, 
"Electric Fountain" (1931) 
by Robert Merrell Gage

The City of Cerritos hosts an impressive collection of more than 50 public artworks, and chief among them is Denny Haskew's 2003 bronze "Strength of the Maker" illustrating a native American's incredible bow-bending strength.  

"Strength of the Maker" (2003) by Denny Haskew

A group of three dancers in Hawai'i's native "Hula Kahiko" tradition welcome visitors to the Keahole Kona International Airport at Kona, Hawai'i.  Sculptor Lark Grey Dimond-Cates pays tribute to one of Hawai'i's oldest dance forms, where complex hand movements complement traditional chanting and percussion.

"Hula Kahiko" (2000) by Lark Grey Dimond-Cates

An entire Metro station pays tribute to the early native Tongva culture of the Arroyo Seco and Los Angeles river area of the Cypress Park neighborhood in Los Angeles, California.  Based on this unique geographic and historic area, sculptor Cheri Gaulke titled her work "Water Street: River of Dreams" and placed the sculpture of a Tongva woman at the head of a flowing river of blue glass and granite boulders, with coyote paw prints at her feet.  A three-panel "story-fence" provides a backdrop of Tongva wisdom, lore and poetry.

"Water Street: River of Dreams" (2003) 
by Cheri Gaulke

Familiarly titled "Indians and Yuccas," Millard Sheets produced one of his rarest mosaics of indigenous native Americans, depicted on horseback among Californian yuccas in bloom.  Fourteen years later his colleague Denis O'Connor created a nearby companion piece as a special homage to Sheets' 1968 original.  Only two blocks from the original Sheets Studio in Claremont, the pair of mosaics remain one of the community's most valued public artworks.

"Indians and Yuccas" (1968) by Millard Sheets

"Indians and Yuccas" (1982) by Denis O'Connor

Learn about the history of INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' DAY 

(Wikipedia)

Public Art in Public Places is committed to the value of public art as an agent of change that provides an engaging foundation for popular discourse and community-mindedness.   Public Art in Public Places is a non-commercial and not-for-profit arts organization.

All photographs, videos and text are the sole property of Public Art in Public Places and are copyright protected from unauthorized use. PUBLIC ART IN PUBLIC PLACES © 2019 All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction of website contents, inclusive of photographs, video, and text, is expressly prohibited.