Online since April, the relatively new LA Eastside.com group blog is one of my favorite blog stops.
This week, the site posted two items on the rapid disappearance of many Eastside murals. On Saturday, Ed Fuentes posted his recap of the “Against the Wall: The Ruin and Renewal of L.A.’s Murals” panel hosted by Morono Kiang Gallery on June 14th. Judith Baca, Artistic Director of SPARC and Professor of Art at UCLA, Man One, owner of Crewest, Yreina Cervantez, muralist and Associate Professor, Department of Chicano/a Studies CSUN City of LA Department, Pat Gomez of Cultural Affairs, and USC Adjunct Professor Michael Woo spoke about the fading of L.A’s mural culture, urging attendees to support plans to restore the famous image of Anthony Quinn dancing in front of the Victor Clothing Company. Fellow Eastside LA blogger, Victoria Delgadillo followed up on Sunday with an editorial on the role of East Los Angeles politicians in the eradication of the area's murals.
Why all the fuss?
LA murals are not just important to L.A.'s identity as a multi-ethnic area and important markers for our every evolving streetscape, but also served to inspire state and federal laws protecting public art.
Also check out Al Guerrero's wonderful photo tour of Whittier Boulevard movie theaters.
