MacArthur Park
MACARTHUR PARK Public Art Projects
2006
(A)Cross the Border Stories Created by local young people to tell the real story of immigration and its costs to those immigrating and their families, eleven hexagonal forms inspired by Japanese kites adorned the building of the Central American Resource Center on 7th Street just of Hoover. Through town halls and community story gathering sessions, and interviews with family members, youth reflected with others about their experiences and the current issues that now face immigrants. They then built the wood frames, stretched the canvass and completed the giant hexagonal paintings that share their personal crossing the border stories. Participants also created a series of 40 small crosses to honor the hundreds who have died crossing the border each year. The crosses have traveled to dozens of vigils, and demonstrations.
Lead Artist: Rocio Veliz
Project Artists: Evilet Diaz, Griselda Diaz, Rosa Estrada, Alejandro Mendoza, Lizandro Mendoza, Pedro, Ernesto Perez, Beth Peterson, Devi Ramirez, Zuly Rodas, Jose Rodas, Jose Veliz
Local Partners: CARECEN, the Immigrant Enforcement Coalition, SAN, CHIRLA
2006
Expressions of Our Reality
A collaboration with Homies Unidos and LA Leadership Academy consists of large iconic images made of wood installed along West Seventh Street that portray a story of violence and hope in young people’s lives. Youth enrolled in the Homies Unidos Epiphany violence intervention/prevention program shared their personal stories of the devastating effects that violence in our neighborhoods has had on their own lives. They wrote, talked and drew about these experiences and then chose an image from each story to become part of the installation. These iconic images, when displayed together, convey their own narrative about the cost of violence and the need for our communities to move beyond violence. Project Artist: Spartacous Cacao Workshop Youth Mentors: Jackie Alvarez, Jose Sandoval, Michelle Sketo Youth: 2006 Epiphany Program participants at the Los Angeles Leadership Academy Middle School and High School Local Partners: Homies Unidos, the Los Angeles Leadership Academy Middle School and High School, the Institute for Urban Research and Development, the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks.
2004
Fragmentos Del Futuro
20 years ago, 1 million Salvadorans fled civil war to come to the United States. Fifty-two percent of these refugees settled in Los Angeles along with nearly 58% of the Guatemalan refugee population who were also fleeing strife in their country. Many of these new immigrants settled in the Pico-Union Neighborhood, around MacArthur Park. Since coming to L.A. in the early 1980's, members of this community have established a strong network of organizations to support new immigrants from Central America and Mexico.
Fragmentos del Futuro is an installation celebrating the hopefulness that accompanies the journey of immigrants, and the risks, challenges and rewards they face in following their dreams for a better life. The art installation used the vending carts on the street at 7th and Alvarado as the basis for the installation. Tiles created in conjunction with community members adorn a cart that symbolizes one leg in the ladder to stability. The thirteen carts all bear words written by poet Rossana Perez whose poetry is based on interviews with community members about their immigration experiences. These 13 segments represent the fragments of hope and vision that one strings together every day to build a life here in America.
Lead Artists: Visual Artist Jose Ramirez, Poet Rossana Perez
Workshop Artists: Joan Coto, Rosa Estrada, Mireya Garcia, Christina Lopez, Sheila Lopez, Gabriela Marquez, Alexander Negrete, Monica Rodas, Jose Rodas, Cimioni Sebastian, Cristina Sebastian, Rocio Veliz, Ana Zetino, LUCES, Vendors
Local Partners: CARECEN, Institute for Urban Research and Development, MacArthur Neighborhood Council, Clinica Monsenor Romero, City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks.
2003
Taking Flight: Migration Dreams
Taking Flight: Migration Dreams, presents a visual narrative of the immigrant experience. With the park trees as frames and birds as a key metaphor, the artists create a visual narrative of the immigrant’s journey from place of origin, through the transitional time between two worlds, to the establishment of a sense of community in the new place. Highlighted are specific individuals who have put down roots for themselves and influenced others to make a life and home in their new land. Dreams of Home– Large and small wooden houses in a large tree painted by the artist and by community with images of memories of homes of origin
Spirits Rooting and Rising – Giant masks installed in trees creating sculpture to honor the Central American immigrants who have put down roots in their adopted country and built a sense of community for others here. The community leaders featured include : Maria Guardado is a high-profile figure in the immigrant rights movement. Her story of abduction and torture in El Salvador is documented in the film, “Testimony: The Maria Guardado Story.” Ricardo Zelada is one of the first El Salvadoran immigrants to arrive in the U.S. after the passage of the immigration act of 1965. He left his home country to escape persecution after the ruling party nullified his election to the State Assembly. Dina Serrano was the first legal vendor in the 7th and Alvarado Street Vending District, when it was established by the City of Los Angeles in 1998. Young activists Jorge Portilla and Julia Muñoz are advocates of the Dream Act and Student Adjustment Act. This state and federal legislation would provide immigrants with greater opportunities to advance their education and become citizens.
Home of Dreams – Images emerged from MacArthur Park children’s drawings of their dreams for the future. The images formed a canopy in a young cluster of palm trees.
Project Artists: Lead Artist: Rafael Escamilla Mask Mentor Artists: Andy Ledesma and Beth Peterson Artists: Julia Munoz, Jorge Portillo, Oscar Miguel Santos, Weston Teruya, John Mack
Public Workshop Artists: Angelo Logan, Eddie Flores MacArthur Park community members.
Local Partners: Clinica Monsenor Oscar Romero, Institute for Urban Research and Development, Public Allies, CHIRLA, El Recate, Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks.