Public Art Project Opens Along Expo Line – Saturday, April 28. 2012
As South Los Angeles marks the historic opening of the Expo Line and welcomes new rail travelers to the neighborhood, the University of Southern California and its partners celebrate the many contributions of the community – past and present – in a series of public art banners installed along the Exposition line corridor. Stretching along 160 light poles on Exposition Boulevard, Flower, Hoover, State Lane Drive and Expo Center, the banners depict scenes from the neighborhood, as seen through the eyes of youth artists from local high schools. The project, produced by L.A. Commons with partners CRA-LA, The Expo Center, and the California African American Museum, paired seven professional artists with 21 youth artists and 14 USC students in visual explorations of themes reflecting the cultural history of South Los Angeles, and its rich ethnic diversity. About 175 people from the community gathered on August 20, 2011 at the Exposition Park Rose Garden for a story summit. Afterward, seven teams of art mentors, local high school artists and college artists – including faculty of the USC Roski School of Fine Arts – began transforming the information gathered during the interviews into art.
Lead artists: Steve Child, Marcela Florez, Luis Garcia, Tomo Isoyama, Jose Lozano, Willie Middlebrook, Nancy Uyemura
Youth artists: Christian Ascencion, Santa Monica College • Melissa Avina, Manual Arts High School; George Can; Osvaldo Casarrubias Y.O.U.A.H.S. • Karla Chavez, Mount St. Mary’s College • Bryan Garcia, 32nd Street USC MAST High School • Jose Ibarra, Y.O.U.A.H.S./ East Los Angeles College • Jeffrey Juarez, Foshay Learning Center High School • Alexander Lopez, Manual Arts High School, (aged 16) • Amy Miranda, Cal State Dominguez Hills • Bianka Miranda, Mt. Saint Mary’s College • Bryant Montoya, Alliance College Ready Academy High School #5, • Stephanie Ortega • Aranzazu Pena, Manual Arts High School • Bryttanie Sanchez, Orthopaedic Hospital Medical Magnet High School • Emely Santizo, Los Angeles Pierce College • Melany Santizo, Los Angeles Pierce College • Nylah Scypion-Butler, LACHSA • Andrew Ramirez • Eddy Ventura, Los Angeles City College • Sean Williams
USC Student Artists: Maria Eubanks, Thomas Fielding, Jannat Gill, Jina Hyun, Jisoo Kim, Diana Ling, Olivia Mazurek, Garrett Rountree, David Sanderson, Christina Scamporrino, Derek Tam, Weiyue Zhou, Weiwen Zhu
Project Management by L.A. Commons: Karen Mack, Executive Director; Beth Peterson, Community Arts Programs Director
Project Workshop and Event Hosting by EXPO Center: Belinda Jackson, Executive Director; Jessica Grande-Lopez, Teen Center
Youth mentor: Astrid Villagran, Expo Center
Special Thanks: Los Angeles City Councilmember Bernard C. Parks (8th District), Los Angeles City Councilmember Jan C. Perry (9th District), Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), West Adams Heritage Association, 24th Street Theater, Velaslavasay Panorama, Charmaine Jefferson, Susan Gray
Shadows of our Neighborhood
Project Partners
LA Commons
Expo Center
Council Member Bernard Parks
California African American Museum
CRA/LA Art Program