A woman stands next to a mural that was unveiled Oct. 8 on the wall of the Ahmanson Senior Center in Exposition Park. The mural, entitled ‘Roots of Change,’ was painted by two professional artists with the help of young people involved with LA Commons, a South L.A.-based arts and culture nonprofit. See story on Page 11.
Courtesy photo
Wave Staff Report
SOUTH LOS ANGELES — Two new public murals have been installed and unveiled in local neighborhoods through the work and engagement of LA Commons, a locally based arts and culture nonprofit.
The murals were created through the organization’s collaborative process involving local youth in partnership with lead artists specific to their community,
The first unveiling took place Sept. 24, in the Florence-Graham neighborhood, next to Fremont High School and the UMMA Health Clinic. The three-panel installation, led by artist Amani Holbert and associate artist Tania Lopez, welcomes guests as they enter the clinic.
The artwork is entitled, “Growing Together” to represent the voices of the Fremont/Florence-Graham community along with their visions of the future.
The celebration of “Growing Together” was held in two installments: one part in the morning, and the second part in the afternoon. In the morning, the mural unveiling coincided with the local food distribution by UMMA Health Clinic. As members of the community stopped by to collect their fresh produce, they were also invited to reflect on the mural, share their thoughts and receive free tamales and Mexican soft drinks. The afternoon session was timed for after school, so the young artists who participated in the process could enjoy the fruits of their labor.
“The images on the murals show how ideal it is to be united as a community and live in a healthy way, with love and hope for a better future,” one community member said.
The second mural unveiling was on Oct. 8 at Expo Center in Exposition Park. Guests consisted of the LA Commons Expo Park young artists, their families, Expo Center partners and Expo Park community residents.
Lead artist Carlos Virgen shared his thoughts on the process of including the stories of Expo Park residents.
“It is important to include their voices because they’re the ones seeing it everyday,” he said.
He was followed by associate artist Tesha Smith, who said, “No matter how old you are, you can still learn from people younger than you.”
She referenced how much she has learned through the art design and production process with the young artists. Student leaders added on by expanding more on the story gathering process, how they’ve developed as artists and leaders, and the art production itself. The ceremony concluded with a video recap produced by the Expo Center.
The mural, entitled “Roots of Change,” draws imagery from themes of food equity, sustainability, tree coverage and the relationship between people and places. The young artists explored ideas of community gardens, cultural identity and imaginative futures where there is access to nourishment and nature.
Their inspiration was further informed by interviews they conducted with community members, gathering input on what symbols and themes were most important to include in the mural.
Young artists with LA Commons come together during weekly art workshops and a community story gathering event. During the workshops, themes of family, education, local small businesses and joy emerged as a common theme between residents’ storytelling. Participants engaged in community interviews, brainstorming sessions, sketching and story sharing to shape the mural’s design.
