Pico Union Public Art - Diana Nightingale

I chose to explore the artwork of Pico Union because I was born and raised in that neighborhood. Pico Union is located about 5-10 minutes west of Downtown LA and is known for being a diverse, densely populated neighborhood. However, people who live there also know that the neighborhood has struggled with gang activity. When I was growing up, almost every street wall was covered with gang-related graffiti. Even today, there is still a significant amount of this graffiti, but the community has been working together to create positive change. Some beautiful murals have been around for many years, and I have always been curious to learn more about them.

Mural of Actor Steve McQueen

Location: (1151 Union St) House on 12th and Union

Artist: Kent Twitchell

Created: 1971

Theme: Paintings of famous figures or influential people.

Representation: Twitchell focuses on realistic human faces, making murals feel life-like and relatable.

Materials: Acrylic paints, exterior paints, rollers, and paintbrushes.

Sponsors: I don't believe that Twitchell had a sponsor for this particular mural. According to an article by Jocelyn Stewart (2017), the home was owned by the family of one of his college peers, who allowed him to use their house as his canvas.

Community Reaction: Many people in the community wonder whether the man painted in the mural was once a resident of the home, and as a teen, I wondered that too. On the day that I took this photograph, the current resident was outside. I asked if she could tell me anything about the painting, but she said that all she knew was that it was related to McQueen and that they were not allowed by the city to paint over it because it is now considered a monument.

Mural in Alleyway

Location: Alley wall near Pico and Magnolia 

Artist: Unknown

Created: No documented date

Theme: Urban life in Los Angeles

Representation: "What men look like" in Pico Union

Materials: Spray paint, most likely acrylic, and concrete canvas.

Sponsors: Unknown

Community Reaction: People in my community prefer this type of graffiti over gang-related graffiti. 

Cesar Chavez Community Garden

Location: 1136 S. Union Ave

Artist: Zaner/Alex

Created: 2007

Theme: Justice, dignity, and power of community organization.

Representation: Leadership

Materials: Acrylic exterior paint, spray paint, brushes, rollers, and a concrete stucco wall.

Sponsors: Community sponsored

Community Reaction: This brought a positive reaction in the community, bringing the community together and making them feel hopeful that change is possible. The community even got together to plant a garden here.

Pico Union Housing Corporation

Pico Union Housing Corporation

Location: 1038 Venice Blvd. (Venice & Union)

Artist: Unknown Artists

Created: Founded in 2006 by Ricardo Guerrero

Theme: Fostering creativity 

Representation: Aims to support youth, reduce gang violence, and provide a safe space for graffiti artists. 

Materials: Spray paint, graffiti markers, stencils, wheat paste, sketching tools, protective gear, and concrete walls. 

Sponsors: The Graff Lab and Pico Union Housing Corporation

Community Reaction: I have noticed that people are always curious about this space. They often stop to admire the area.

                                                                                      Gang Related Graffiti 

Location: Abandoned store on the corner of Pico and Arapahoe

Artist: Gang Members

Representation: Marking territory or claiming a neighborhood

Materials: Spray paint and concrete wall

Community Reaction: The community is not surprised to see this type of graffiti since many walls in the Pico Union have been covered with it for years, but they are hopeful for change. 

Phase 3: Critical Analysis

The artwork I shared from the Pico Union area shows how the neighborhood tells its story in layers. Many of the murals focus on Latino and Central American culture, highlighting themes like unity, cultural pride, and immigration. The piece featuring Cesar Chavez represents the history of labor rights that Latinx communities fought for, while the piece of actor Steve McQueen suggests that the community also values broader cultural history. This inclusion adds both political and historical meaning and reflects the community's appreciation for diverse cultural influences.

Graffiti tells another part of the story. Gang tags on the street are raw and demonstrate how individuals claim space, reflecting a culture where territorial identity still plays a role. In contrast, the murals focus on building a shared identity that blends Latinx and American influences, as seen in the alleyway mural and the Pico Union Housing mural. Another important voice is The Graff Lab, which works to balance these different expressions. It acknowledges how the community has changed over time, while still respecting and encouraging artistic expression by offering a safe space for people to create art, it promotes creativity in ways that avoid harm or conflict within the community.

What's interesting is how these different forms of art reflect both the past and the present. Many murals are funded or organized by groups like the Graff Lab and the Pico Union Housing Corporation. They tend to push messages about peace, community, and healing. However, gang related graffiti conflicts with those messages, showing that not everyone agrees on how the neighborhood should be represented. This creates the sense that the streets are part of an ongoing conversation where history, identity and power are constantly negotiated on the walls, creating the message that the past and the present can still co-exist while a community is still shaping its identity. But most importantly, the Pico Union community believes that positive change is possible and encourages the community to work together.