Echo Park public ART - Allister Mendez
Public Art in Echo Park
Phase 1: The Site
The site I chose for this project was Echo Park. Growing up in the heart of Echo Park as a kid was extraordinary. There are many movements throughout history that took place, and I even got to see some changes during my life time. From gang violence, to homeless claiming Echo Park Lake, to Echo Park Lake shutting its doors, to gentrification, and now to preservation. We will always see Echo Park evolve in many ways due to the amount of people immigrating here.
Not only is Echo Park extremely accessible, it is very public transportation friendly. Echo Park neighbors Chinatown, Silverlake, Westlake, and Downtown Los Angeles. That is a direct link to five out of the eight Metro Lines Los Angeles has to offer: A Line (Blue Line), B Line (Red Line), D Line (Purple Line), E Line (Expo Line), and J Line (Silver Line). Outside of the metro system, it has Amtrak, Metrolink, Foothill, Rapid, and Greyhound. Some of the most important bus routes Echo Park offers all its residents/tourist are:
Metro: 2, 4, 10, 14, 16, 92, and 93
Dash: Pico Union/Echo Park and Lincoln Heights/Chinatown
In this project, I decided to focus on the southern part of Echo Park. The northern part of Echo Park already have tons of academic papers published on Sunset/Echo Park Ave. Sunset/Echo Park Ave is one of the most famous places Echo Park has to offer. An insane amount of public street art in almost every corner, yet most people tend to ignore the southern part of Echo Park.
Phase 2: Field Work
Location: 1606 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Artist: Community Members
Inscription: None
Materials: Acrylic paint on stucco
Represented: Community of Echo Park
Figure 1
Artist: Unknown
Inscription: None
Materials: Paper/Pencil/Glue
Represented: Community of Echo Park/the youth of Echo Park/2020-2025 memes
Figure 2
Artists: Local Gangs/Unknown
Inscription: Unknown
Materials: Spray Paint/Glue, Textiles, Paper/Glue
Represented: Abandoned Bob Baker Marionette Theater
Figure 3
Artist: Yreina Cervantez
Inscription: La Ofrenda Mural (1989)
Materials: Acrylic paint on stucco/spray paint
Represented: Hispanic lady offering to the community
Figure 4
Artist: Mario Torero and D. Von Simons
Inscription: Botanica Cuauhtemoc (3-14-14)
Materials: Acrylic paint on stucco
Represented: Man transcending through humanity
Figure 5
Artist: Diamond gang
Inscription: Diamond
Materials: Spray paint
Represented: Local gang from Echo Park leaving their presence behind
Figure 6
Phase 3: Critical Analysis
Echo Park has a lot of artist who are able to utilize the abandon buildings around them. As I stated in Phase 1: The Site, Echo Park does have more well known art works heading North with artist names. The examples I choose specifically had a whole community help out, completely unknown artist, and two projects with names and dates.
Not only was this a great representation of what type of art there is, I also showcased 2 pieces that have gang affiliations.
Echo Park is now a gentrified city; however, that has not stopped Angelinos from caving into higher pricing. Local gangs like: Diamond (figure 6), MIH (Mobbing into history), and a few other local gangs are not considered dangerous anymore due to not a single gang attack since 2008. Furthermore, the "threat" a gang imposes has made a few gentrifiers a bit hesitant to raise rent in fear of another gang related crime.
Gentrification has helped, but also harmed Echo Park. It is currently in this awkward stage where you have local Angelinos successfully sticking their foot down and only wanting to pay a fair price for their rent; however, stabilized housing stepped in to prevent gentrification from raising prices on locals even more. Echo Parks neighboring city on the west (Silverlake) was not as lucky and their rent prices are absolutely insane.
Thanks to local gangs who are no longer violent, Echo Park is able to awkwardly assimilate into gentrification while also disapproving what it has done to its neighboring city.
Phase 4: Proposal
Something I can be proud to say is how diverse the art in Echo Park is.
For those who don't know, California is a state that attracts everyone. From how America forcibly took California (and a few other states) from Mexico, to the Gold Rush, to the start of cinema in Hollywood in the early 20th century, and to influencers coming and asserting themselves in new Californian culture.
I can have my own disagreements with certain cultures (like influencer culture); however, I understand this is not the first time in Californian history that this has happened. Due to understanding California is the state everyone wants to live in, we must all accept new cultures that aren't harmful, even if they are annoying.
One thing I genuinely love is how when new transplants who have no experience with Hispanic culture appreciate the small details our ancestors had. Appreciation and acceptance of different cultures is ultimately what California embodies. Due to that embodiment, Echo Park is one of the very few neighborhoods to successfully stop price increases gentrification does while still getting the benefits that it provides. Echo Park will still be able to voice their disapproval of the price increases in food, housing, and vendors, but it has not been able to kick us out yet thanks to rent stable homes coming in and stopping it.
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