Project Description
True to the city’s name, artist Felix Quintana showcases Hawaiian Gardens with palm lined streets and joyful everyday life. The local vendors and flora nods to the city’s history while images of youth and families point to the vibrancy of the community today. Quintana’s use of cyanotype photography (a 19th-century method that creates blue images using sunlight and iron salts) and collage celebrates the many layers and stories embedded in the city.
This artwork was commissioned for Metro’s Through the Eyes of Artists poster series for display in the fleet.
Artist Statement
“I was inspired by walking through the city, slowing down, and hearing the sounds of vibrant working-class communities, beautiful native plants and lush landscaping, and witnessing people engage and acknowledge one another,” Quintana states. “Though small in scale, this southeast city is a microcosm of Los Angeles culture and the beauty found within the ubiquity of Southeast LA.“
About the Artist
Felix Quintana is a Salvadoran-American visual artist and educator. Quintana’s art practice spans photography, digital media, collage, and installation. Quintana received his MFA in Photography from San Jose State University and BA from California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. Solo exhibitions include Donde Nace El Agua at Wende Museum, Fantasma Paraiso presented by Los Angeles Nomadic Division, and Cruising Below Sunset at Residency Art. Select group exhibitions include Vincent Price Art Museum, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, Craft Contemporary, Chinese Culture Center San Francisco, and Center for Photography Woodstock, among numerous others. Awards include California Community Foundation Fellowship for Visual Arts, Lucas Artist Fellowship at Montalvo Art Center, Mohn LAND Grant by LA Nomadic Division, and LACE Lightning Fund Grant. His work is included in the public collections of Oakland Museum of California, Altamed Art Collection, and Los Angeles Civic Art Collection. Quintana lives, works, and teaches in Los Angeles.
About Through the Eyes of Artists
In the tradition of celebrating transportation through colorful travel destination posters, Metro Art commissions a diverse range of Los Angeles artists to create original artworks for the Through the Eyes of Artists poster series. Established in 2003, the posters are displayed onboard Metro trains and buses.
View other works in the series.
Display year: 2026