Public Art in Arts District - Andre Uriarte

 Arts District/Little Tokyo Public Art

Andre X. Uriarte

Phase 1

The Arts District is in the heart of LA. It is a cross section of incredible food, public art, fashion, and most of all, a hotspot for Post-Dodger Game activities. The arts district doesn't have a single identity. You can see graphite on one ally, then a mural of the 3 aces of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In this project I discuss the two types of art mentioned. These pieces give a proper look as to what the arts district is, and puts into perspective the melting pot that is Los Angeles. 

I picked the arts district because of its proximity to my work, and how crucial it is to prove that LA is the melting pot it is. Ive also spent a lot of time in the Arts District. LA is known for being the beautiful chicano inspired city, but in little Tokyo especially, we see it as one of the few remaining Japanese inspired towns in the US. 

Phase 2

Work 1 - Samurai Aces

Location - Miyako Hotel

Subject - Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki

Medium - Large format aerosol, full color

Scale - Multi story on the facade of building 

Commission - Hotel/Artist partnership

This mural spans at least ten stories along the facade of the Miyako Hotel. On the mural we see 3 of the most important Japanese players in recent MLB history. Each in the middle of their windup. It's a powerful image of how incredibly talented these players are, and a memento to how important they are to the people of LA. The palate is rich with Dodger Blue and white. Rokis famous glove is bright yellow. It is unmistakable even from a far distance. 

This piece was commissioned by the Miyako hotel and completed by famous muralist Robert Vargas. It's I the heart of little Tokyo which carries even more weight because these three men are the heroes of Japan right now. It is visible to all of those who visit Little Tokyo. It is unmistakable. As an Angeleno, you'll know who's on this wall. 

Work 2 - Unknown

Location - Alley In front of Tatsu Ramen 

Subject - Female figure and Plane

Medium - Aerosol, Black and Grey

Scale - Medium sized on side of all

Commission - None, just street art

I took this course because ive always been enamored by street art. My step dad is a graffiti artist who grew up in South Central LA. I grew up around Shepard Fairey and went to Studio Number 1 numerous times. This piece reminded me oddly of something familiar. I was walking out of a date night dinner at Tatsu Ramen and saw it and realized this would be perfect for this project. 

This piece is raw. It has no title placard or logo. A signature I could barely read. And it looks so rugged yet it tells a story. I interpreted it as a woman chasing something and holding on. With the foot traffic this particular part of Little Tokyo faces, I believe it was intentionally placed there. 

Phase 3

Placing these two works side by side is clarifying. One shows an unnamed woman who seems worried about her future, surrounded by darkness. The other shows 3 celebrated athletes, named, numbered, and illuminated on a building that faces a major corridor. The contrast between these two works reveals how money shapes what survives on a public wall. The Aces mural carries the backing of a franchise, a brand, and a hotel, meaning it is protected and permanent. The wall piece has no visible attribution and could be painted over by next week. That difference is not just administrative. The Ohtani mural is lit by daylight and positioned in a high traffic area, while the alley work is only visible at night to people who already move through that space. The cultural aspect complicates things further. Ohtani's Japanese identity makes his presence near Little Tokyo feel resonant, but the community had no voice in commissioning it. Representation without authorship is not the same as self-determination. And at the level of the figures themselves, the unnamed woman's posture of collapse sits in sharp contrast to the aces powerful mid pitch framing. Both are public. Only one is celebrated, and that choice is never neutral.

Phase 4

I love both of these pieces for different reasons. The first piece makes me proud to be an Angeleno and an Employee of a storied franchise. I feel pride. I have seen this team lose more than id like to admit. From a World Series drought of 30+ years, an owner who went bankrupt, to now a Dynasty. It makes me proud. The second piece makes me happy to know that art can still tell a story that doesn't require someone to explain it to you. It amazes me that there's someone out there who is extremely talented and just put this up for the love of the game. I hate when art is corporate or just tagging from a set. I appreciate the talent that is Graffiti. The future politician in me hopes that communities can create a more street art friendly tone. Rather than having the same brick and mortar stores with no personality and luxury condos that Angelenos can afford that look cookie cutter, let's create art. Let's allow our diverse and talented communities to express themselves in a way that is protected. We can create a registry for art that once put up can be approved and appreciated.