Whose City? Public Art, Power, and Representation in the Urban Landscape

Outline 11/12 ( formulating final thoughts) Art in my neighborhood  I live on 629 Traction Ave. I would consider my neighborhood 50% Arts District and 50% Little Tokyo. That’s really interesting to me because part of the everyday architecture that I see is heavily influenced by Japanese architecture, however the other half is this industrial, gentrified, grungy architecture that reflects the early history of the Arts District. Although these spaces are so close in proximity and can sometimes cross barriers, they have completely independent histories. Little Tokyo has been home to a large Japanese community since the 1800’s. The Japanese population has faced heavy subjugation and racism and they remained strong. There is a resilience to this town. In my opinion an important artwork that reflects the hopeful and happy integration of the Japanese- American community is titled “LA Rising”. Across the street from me is Angel City Brewery. It is considered a staple 3rd space for the arts...

Riverside: Your oasis of art. Riverside is a city where art meets you at every corner. Murals, sculptures, figurines, and public installations fill its streets, turning everyday spaces into open-air galleries. Even the buildings themselves feel like works of art as they are carefully preserved, thoughtfully maintained, and full of character. Their historic charm holds deep meaning for locals, creating a sense of pride and connection. In Riverside, you don’t have to go searching for creativity. It surrounds you. Whether you’re walking downtown, visiting neighborhoods, or driving through historic areas, the city’s art reveals its personality and invites everyone to appreciate its culture. Art is civic engagement.    The Timeless Grandeur of the Mission Inn Experiencing the beauty of The Mission Inn. The Mission Inn is more than a landmark — it’s a historical treasure. As my parents and I walked through its corridors, they were captivated by the Catholic imagery, the artwork, a...

 Public Art of West Adams

           Public Art of Lynwood Ulises G.    SITE:  Ricardo Lara Park   The Ricardo Lara Park is a local park that I watched spring up, turning an ugly lot next to a freeway into a beautiful and adorned park with amenities and biking space. While its not the most extravagant piece of public art, its important in multiple ways rather than purely visual. FIELD WORK:   The park was funded by the SWA group, a global landscape architecture firm, that believes that its purpose is to " build community, nurture ecosystems, and reconnect people with nature and each other" (https://www.swagroup.com).  The park was a significant effort to clean up a vacant lot next to a freeway, bringing together communities and draining storm water runoff.      The park also features a lot of space for play and exercise, as well as public gardens and benches with shade to promote community and participation towards it.   The layout ...

  Leimert Park Neighborhood in Los Angeles  PHASE 1: Site Selection I chose Leimert Park because it's in my neighborhood and features a variety of artworks. I would always pass through there, although I never really took time to see the artworks they had.  Phase 2: Field Work  Title of the Artwork: “Kulture Keepers”  Location: Leimert Park Station on the K Line Artist: Stephanie Mercado Date: 2024 Medium: paper-based animation Title of artwork:  “Anthology of Leimert” Location: Leimert Park Station on the K Line Artist: Momodu Mansaray Date: Unknown  Medium: Digital media  Title of the Artwork: “Puffing with Patties to Leimert Park” Location: “Leimert Park Station on the K Line” Artist: Isaiah Ferguson Date: 2024 Medium: animation Title of the Artwork: “Untitled” Location: Leimert Park Station on the K Line Artist: Mickalene Thomas Date: 2022 Medium: large-scale hand-cut glass mosaic mural PHASE 3:   Mickalene's "Untitled" artwork is a ...

  Phase 1:The Site I chose this site because this was a mural that was recently done to show support for the Eaton Fires that happened from the community. I was born and raised in Pasadena California and when the Eaton wild fires had occurred a lot of the communities business buildings and homes were burned which led to a very traumatizing and sensitive topic for the people that live here.  Phase 2: Field Work  This mural designed and painted by AirForce Veteran Brandon Tompson as a way to honor wildfire victims that is sponsored by Adobe, is located on the side of Magic cleaners and Laundry at the corner of Lake Ave and Union st. This mural was spray-painted with support from the nonprofit Beautify Earth, where Brandon spent his days throughout the month of October 2025 painting the mural.  Bradon Tompsons told Local News Pasadena in quote “ Im a street artist, man. I prepared for this. "He was more than happy to be part of this project to support the importance of ...

                                                 BEAUMONT CALIFORNIA PUBLIC ART   THE SITE:                Aside from a majority of my classmates, I am located in the IE as opposed to LA county. The inland empire is home to a number of public art displays; however, I happen to be part of a community that is on its back end. Here nothing ever happens so when it does happen, it's a big deal. I moved there about eight years ago when I was still figuring out my own personal identity and searching for representation. Just about all of the art presented here is contained in the Beaumont Library most of which being federal art projects. I have conversed with my fellow citizens about the contents of the art in not only the library but the potential of all the free spa...

 Art Within our Surroundings Public Art is beautiful and is what brings life into the community. Art is creative inspiration that is painted and marked on our walls. Through the eyes of many talented locals we can see stories of the community, the history of the building along with learning about what different cultures are in the community. Art comes in many forms such as graffiti/murals/and sculptures. Within the city of East Los Angeles there are several pieces of art that standout and represent the community and the diversity within it.  “We Believe”                                              Location: N Marianna Ave Los Angeles CA 90063                                                   Arti...

Leo Minger ART 3170 Section 2 Highland Park Public Art     PHASE ONE:                 The site of my research was the Highland Park/York Boulevard area. Being the neighborhood I have grown up in, I chose this area because I feel that there is a lot of art and artistic value attached to the community. There were murals that have existed for longer than I have been alive, and there are murals that change frequently and never last more than a few years. Community members used to crochet covers onto metal bike racks and have decorated trees with flowers, or graffitied their names and logos on the sidewalk. Even the signage on many of the businesses nearby have been hand-painted. I wanted to document what my community has been able to produce.       PHASE TWO:        Current state of "Junior's DISCOUNT". Temporal artwork located on York Boulevard. Often depicts popular cartoon characters (in the pa...