Neighborhood Pride
Dorothy Goes to Hollywood (1993) by Victor Henderson & Elizabeth Garrison
| Location | Los Angeles Youth Center, 1025 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029 |
| Artist | Henderson was co-founder, with Terry Schoonhoven, of The Los Angeles Fine Art Squad. Originally from Ohio, henderson studied at San Francisco State College (B.A. 1963) and Otis Art Institute. Born in San Diego, Garrison studied art at Pasadena City College (A.A. 1981), CSU Long Beach (B.F.A. in painting, 1984) and CSU Los Angeles (M.F.A. 1992). her work has been exhibited in numerous group sows in the Los Angeles Area. |
| Subject | “It’s a metaphor for being homeless in Hollywood because Dorothy in the story [of the Wizard of Oz] is trying to find her way home. Holley Boulevard ends up being the yellow brick road. Instead of movie star names, the text inside the stars describes the services offered by the L.A. Youth Network.”-Elizabeth Garrison |
| Status | This mural has been completely whitewashed. |
Mis Raices (1993) by Maria Isabel Mora
| Location | Twenty-Eight Street Elementary, 2807 Stanford Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90011 |
| Artist | Maria Isabel mora |
| Subject | This mural addresses the hopes and aspirations of the 28th St. school area, as well as their cultural history and accomplishments. The diversity of the area is an accomplishment in inter-racial harmony and cooperation. “I believe that this area would serve as template for change given socio-economic pressures that presently are being faced by numerous similar communities.”- Maria Isabel Mora At the center the mural piece there is an old and well-seasoned tree from which the roots of the community are founded. In the tree there is a woman and a man growing out of its trunk. This provides the ecological bent, and the importance of family and roots. From this tree springs the various cultures and beacons of the community that sets the tone of perseverance. All around are images of the people of the community at work to build their lives in the area. Also included are cultural icons that serve to remind us of the rich heritage that is intertwined and plays a factor in the daily lives of all in the community. In the mural’s background is the cityscape, nearby Little Tokyo, and the surrounding factories. To the left is Martin Luther King, Jr. with Cesar Chavez to the right. Mora illustrates cooperation and mutual respect between cultures to ensure the future of the community. |
| Status | This mural is in good condition, and is maintained by the school. |
Leo Politi (1993) by Carlos Callejo
| Location | Leo Politi School, 2481 W 11th St, Los Angeles, CA 90006 |
| Artist | “I believe that murals that truly speak for a community and its social concerns are a real inspiration, both as a model for the artist and as a monument to the struggles and aspirations of the community” –Carlos Callejo |
| Subject | Carlos Callejo wrote that his “overall plan for this mural is to combine a realist style with a highly decorative style. In essence combining reality with a childlike, dream fantasy that will motivate the human imagination. This I believe is important for our children. Children need to dream. Traditional Mesoamerican cultures teach us that at night when we sleep and dream our souls visit a collective pool where we drink and replenish our spirits. ‘We come to this world to find perfection, and perfection only comes when we are capable of creating all that we can think and dream.” -Carlos Callejo |
| Status | This mural has slightly faded–has been maintained by school. |
Remember your Roots (1993) by Darryl Marr & Tony Osumi
| Location | Siyeon Restaurant, 721 Western Avenue, Los Angeles |
| Artist | Darryl Marr & Tony Osumi |
| Subject | |
| Status | This mural has been completely destroyed in a building renovation. |
We Are All One human Race (1994) by Mario Torero
| Location | Francis Polytechnic High School, 12431 Roscoe Blvd, Sun Valley, CA 91352 |
| Artist | Mario received his education from San Diego University, San Diego City College and the San Diego Museum of Art. He has been active in the community for several decades. His paintings have won numerous awards and are in collections throughout the world, including the Vatican, His murals are all over the worlds from Havana to Prague. |
| Subject | This mural was painted at Francis Polytechnic High School. This high school had a mural making class that painted murals within the school’s campus and outside including a local elementary school. The mural pays tribute to civil rights leaders from different cultures and features The High School’s Mascot in the center and a graduating senior on the far left. Depicted from left to right: Martin Luther king Jr., Crazy Horse, Cesar Chavez, Confucius and Mother Teresa. |
| Status | This mural has slightly faded. |
To Protect and Serve (1992) by Noni Olabasi
| Location | Moe Hair Salon, 3406 11th Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90018 |
| Artist | Noni Olabisi is a muralist whose work deals with civil rights. |
| Subject | This history of the Black Panther Party was originally selected as one of SPARC’s Great Wall Unlimited: Neighborhood Pride Murals. However, after opposition and political the conservative City Arts Commission, the mural was turned into an independent project and funded with private donations. The left side focuses on personal and institutional racist violence toward African-Americans. Depicted are images of the Klan and Bobby Seale bound and gaged, as he was during the Chicago 7 Trail of the late 1960s–above him is judge Julius Hoffman who presided in that case. Huey Newton and Angela Davis are also portrayed. The right side of the mural emphasizes the Panthers’ social projects, such as the Free Breakfast Program. From the mural: We want an immediate end to POLICE BRUTALITY and MURDER of Black People! We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice and peace. All power to the people! A special thanks is offered to Hair Expressions and the community for their war and loving support. |
| Status | This mural has faded and suffered delamination and light graffiti damage. |
Citizens of the World (1994) by Paul Botello
| Location | Esperanza School, 680 Little St, Los Angeles, CA 90017 |
| Artist | “I have lived in East Los Angeles for all of my life, my elementary. I am third generation Mexican American, eight child of nine who lives amongst neighbors whose kids are first generation and because of this I feel my heritage around me like a blanket giving me a sense of comfort and sense of community. Living in the twenty-first century I am very aware of the multi-cultural world that I am a part of, and so from this context I feel my art should reflect this diversity yet come from my unique perspective and schema.” –Paul Botello The artist was only eight years old when he began helping his older brother David paint murals. This mural was his second solo effort. He studied art at Cal State Los Angeles, where he earned both a BA and an MFA. His work can be seen throughout East Los Angeles and Southern California as well as in the permanent collections of the Hammer Museum and the Laguna Art Museum. Botello seldom uses ethnic icons, preferring more universal images. |
| Subject | The central theme of the mural is immigration, education, and hope for the future. The children are the future and are faced with many lessons to be learned. The blocks they are climbing symbolized the obstacles in life, which literally may form to keep one from achieving their goals. The teacher, a modern day liberty carries a beacon of light to guide the children through the darkness. By education, these obstacles may be overcome. In the foreground, the children of all colors, sexes, and cultures interlock arms in an act of unity. In their hands are the various tools of education ranging from sports, geography, justice, etc. The adjoining of the children also create a visual unity which allows the eye to move from left to right. |
| Status | This mural has suffered some delamination damage on the left panel, but otherwise has been kept in very good condition by the school. |
Filipino Americans: A Glorious History, A Golden Legacy (1994) by Eliseo Silva
| Location | 1660 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026 |
| Artist | “I am a weaver of history and heritage. In my work, I tell stories that are grounded upon layers of culture creating a kind of contemporary folk art that attempts to finds the border between mass culture and contemporary realism.”-Eliseo Silva |
| Subject | The mural itself portrays events from Filipino History. It is accompanied by a quote from Carlos Bulosan, part of which reads: “America is the illiterate immigrant who is ashamed that the world of books and intellectual that are closed to him. We are all that nameless foreigner, that homeless refugee, that hungry boy, that illiterate immigrant, and that lynched black body. All of us, from the first Adam to the last Filipino, native born or alien, educated or illiterate–we are all America!” |
| Status | This mural has faded and suffered delamiantion damage. |
Gabrielno Nation: Spirit of the Sage (1994) by Roberto Salas & Johanna Poethig
| Location | A-1 Photo, 1306 Pacific Avenue, San Pedro |
| Artist | Roberto Salas & Johanna Poethig |
| Subject | The nature of this project led to a collaboration since the most important part of this effort is to represent and acknowledge the Gabrielino Nation, their community, and their teachings as they are passed on in the present day. At the centerpiece of the mural Chief Vera Rocha holds the white sage and represents a living history of the Gabrielinos. The Gabrielino symbol for sun hangs on the horizon. The symbols for person and mountain are part of the marking on the rock. The text “The People will be together” is a quote from Chief Rocha written in the smoke that comes from the fire on Signal Hill. Along the bottom of the rock at the sidewalk, the quote “The Reality Beneath the Pavement” reminds us of the villages and people who originally lived on this land. |
| Status | This mural has faded and suffered delamination, especially in blue areas. |
Las Tres Leyes (1994) by Roberto Rubalcava & Ernesto de la Loza
| Location | Blythe Street Panaroma City |
| Artist | Roberto Rubalcava & ernesto de la Loza |
| Subject | |
| Status | The Building depicted has been destroyed; portable murals in storage–collection of the artist. |
What Happens to a Dream Deferred? (1995) by Marco Elliot & Venice High School Students
| Location | Venice High School, 13000 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90066 |
| Artist | Marco Elliot, a commercial arts teacher at Venice High School, is the author of a how-to guide on street murals, written in French. |
| Subject | “This mural was born out of the ashes of the 1992 “Los Angeles Riots,” designed and painted by the students from five local high schools under the direction of Joann Carrabbio and myself. The images celebrate justice and the ongoing struggle against ignorance and prejudice. The mural revolves around six main ideas originated from student essays: class and cultural identity, historial roots of oppression, a need for education, peace, neighborhood cooperation and solidarity to end gang wars.”-Marco Elliott |
| Status | This mural has slightly faded. |
What is Hidden in Hope (1995) by Alma Lopez & The Women’s Public Art Workshop
| Location | Plaza Community Center, Esperanza Project, Los Angeles |
| Artist | “As a Chicana artist living in Los Angeles–the metropolis of the future, at the beginning of a new millennium–I am interested in exploring the manipulation of digital technology as a tool in the production of images. As well as investigating the role of the artist in a digital age.” -Alma Lopez, 2001 Alma Lopez is a Chicana artist and muralist that was born in Los Mochis, Sinaloa and was raised in East Los Angeles. She received her B.A. in Fine Arts with honors from UC Santa Barbara. She worked as a coordinator for SPARC during the Neighborhood Pride Mural program. She got her MFA from UC Irvine in 1995. She believes that the collaboration of artists, youth, and community in the creation of public art can serve as a positive catalyst towards the communities’ awareness of historical, current, societal, and political issues. As she states, “I am interested I bridging communities and media through various aspects of my work. My artistic vision is colored by the social, economic, and spiritual experiences of a Chicana/Mexicana raised in the U.S. The themes in my work are based on cultural and feminist issues.” She works in a wide range of mediums such as: painting, printmaking, installations, and ceramics. She is also experienced in being actively involved in the coordination, teaching, and creation of public art by collaborating with artists, youth, and the community in L.A., Ventura County, Orange County, Texas, and Wisconsin. Her work has been exhibited in over 100 solo and group exhibitions in Mexico City; Naples, Italy; Cork, Ireland; and throughout the United States. |
| Subject | The mural addresses how the issue of alcohol and drug addiction does not discriminate. The 3 angels are the focus of the mural. The first angel represents womanhood and light and carries a crystal with the symbol of the stylized breast; symbolic of womanhood and motherhood. The middle angel represents hope, forgiveness, and balance, and carries a crystal with the Ollin symbol of balance in movement from Aztec/Nahuatl culture. The third angel represents healing and recovery, and carries a crystal representing Alcoholics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, and Narcotics Anonymous, the program’s logo. The color of their attire is symbolic of the aforementioned attributes respectively; white, yellow, and purple. |
| Status | This mural has been completely whitewashed. |
Chicano Heritage (1996) by Judith Hernandez
| Location | Stoner Recreational Park, 1835 Stoner Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90025 |
| Artist | Judith Hernandez |
| Subject | |
| Status | This mural was completely destroyed in a site renovation–after being restored by Alma Lopez and Noni Olabasi. |
Dreams of Flight (1996) by David Botello
| Location | Estrada Courts Housing Project, 3441 Olympic Boulevard, Boyle Heights |
| Artist | David Botello is one of Los Angeles’ top mural artists. He is one of the well-known East Los Streetscapers founding members. His studio work examines the life and environs of his East L.A. neighborhood, which is brought to the familiar montage style of the Streetscapers. |
| Subject | This mural at Estrada Courts Housing Project in East Los Angeles was restored from its 1973 state, and depicts a boy’s dream of flight. The center figure pictures a boy swinging on a large tire. On one side he is shown holding a model airplane. The past, represented with an indigenous warrior adorned with wings and eagle headdress, along with the mythical Pegasus, meets the present and future with images of super rockets and space travel. |
| Status | This mural has faded and suffered light tagging at the bottom. |
Street Speaks (1997) by Judith F. Baca
| Location | Volunteers of America, 543 Crocker St #2116, Los Angeles, CA 90013 |
| Artist | Judith F. Baca |
| Subject | |
| Status | This mural is good condition. |