Street Art in Boyle Heights- Yenifer Hernandez

 The colors of Boyle Heights 

By Yenifer Hernandez 

The site: Boyle Heights

Boyle Heights is a neighborhood in East Los Angeles with its population predominantly being Chicano/ Mexican American. The culture is reflect in the various works of art scattered thought the community. It is bright, welcoming, cheerful and resilient. This community is the epicenter of the Chicano movement and unfortunately continues to fight against injustices and gentrification. This history of the community is never forgotten for many street artists keep it alive and present in works of art. Boyle Heights homes the well known Mariachi Plaza and holds events that showcase the culture in the community such as the Dia De Los Muertos celebration. 

Field Work

"The Greater Love"
Artist: Paul Botello
Address: E Cesar Chavez and Soto St., Los Angeles, CA 90033
Size: 13'x50' ft
Date: 1992
Type: Religious


Artist: OTR Graffiti Crew
Address: 2415 E Cesar Chavez Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90033
Size: 13'x 20'ft
Date: 2017
Type: Grafitti 
Artist: Unknown
Address: 2208 E 4th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033
Size: 8x3 inches
Date: 2026
Type: Political, Slap tagging a.k.a "slaps"
"Stog"
Artist: Stog
Address/ location: On the 251 metro bus 
Size: 8x5 inches 
Date: 2016
Type: Tagging, Slap Tagging a.k.a "slap" 


Critical Analysis
I chose to explore the community of Boyle Heights because I pass by it everyday on my way to school and it seems very lively and colorful. There is a lot of feet traffic which is a perfect site for street art. There is street art everywhere and I had fun exploring and picking the art I would photograph for this assignment. I think the art in Boyle Heights reflects important part of the community. For example, the mural The Greater Love by the artist Paul Botello represents love, peace and unity. I think that is very representative of the community of Boyle Heights because it is a predominantly chicano/ Mexican American community who are known to value family and collectivism. There are many small businesses and street venders and know one another and help each other like they are family. There is a lot of feet traffic where the paining is located but no one seems out of place. There is a strong welcoming energy which I think the mural captures perfectly with its bright colors and design. It shows a huge red heart in the middle which can represent the love and soul of the community. The mural also shows a man and woman next to one another which can also represent equality. Additionally I think the sticker of President Donald J. Trump being depicted as a roach holding a nuclear bomb shows how the community may feel and what they may think of our current president and administration. This community like many others in Los Angeles has seen increased ICE activity. This has brought fear and rage into the community but the community remains united as they resist through protests and staying informed. The tagging photo I took on the bus ride home from school was not the typical marker or spray paint style. This tag was a sticker print and it has a face with horns and the word Stog. I think this is representative of the young artists in Los Angeles. It also has bright green and yellow which I think reflects the brightness of the city. Lastly, I found the graffiti on the wall between two small businesses. One of the businesses was a coffee shop called Weird Wave Coffee and the owner had only positives things to say about the art and artist. After doing some research on the street art, I found that very coffee shop hired latino artists to paint graffiti on their wall which the community did not appreciate. Activists in the community protested against gentrification aimed at Weird Wave Coffee. I think this piece represents the ongoing anti-gentrification resistance that is taking place in the community of Boyle Heights. 

Proposal
I propose that cities like Boyle Heights that have a variety of street artists would invest in renting to buying building in which artists can come and paint on the blank walls. I could take place on the same day every month and they can make it a community event. There could be food, vendors, music, members of the city council could attend and everyone would be welcomed. I think this could help reduce the negative feeling towards street art. An event like this where the community can see fellow community artist can show them the meaning beside the art. We can get a better understanding of the artists thoughts, message, and emotions. I think seeing the artists display their skills and techniques can show the community that they art not just criminals doodling around the city. It can also give artists exposure and increase their passion and confidence if there is an event that celebrates what they love to do.   




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