Project Description
The artwork weaves together layered images from the surrounding landscape – both above and below the surface. In this dynamic photographic collage, cinematic echoes of light and reflection reveal prehistoric fossils, molten textures from the bubbling La Brea Tar Pits, bold Art Deco details, a sundial, compass and Feng Shui Yundo emerging like fragments suspended in time. These elements form visual strata that capture the deep, complex history of the area—where geology, architecture, and memory intersect.
The public was invited to meet for a series of activities in mid-Wilshire where participants learned about the neighborhood and got a behind-the-scenes look into Siegel’s artistic process. It began with a walking tour along Wilshire Boulevard with L.A. historian J. Eric Lynxwiler followed by an observation and orientation of sunlight and architecture using a homemade sundial fashioned out of an old compact disc and case. The event culminated with a presentation by Siegel at the Korean Cultural Center and a curator-led walkthrough of their museum that included objects Siegel used in her artwork, such as the ancient instruments of marking time and location.
Artist Statement
“The artwork’s kaleidoscopic appearance fuses multiple viewpoints, subjects and time sequences, providing a rich visual complexity that connects a wide range of travelers with their surroundings.”
About the Artist
FRAN SIEGEL (b. 1960, New York) creates monumental drawings and site-driven installations that superimpose cultural, historical, and structural layers of the urban environment. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Tyler School of Art at Temple University and a Master of Fine Arts in Painting from Yale University School of Art. Siegel’s work has been exhibited in museums and galleries on both coasts including the Getty’s second and third iterations of Pacific Standard Time. Her international research fellowships and exhibits include the Fulbright Scholar Program in Brazil, representation of the US at the Cuenca Biennale in Ecuador, and residencies in Italy and France at the American Academy in Rome, Bogliasco Foundation, Siena Art Institute, Camargo Foundation, and La Napôule Foundation. She has received individual artist awards from the California Community Foundation, Center for Cultural Innovation, and City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs as a C.O.L.A. awardee. Siegel was previously a professor in the School of Art at California State University, Long Beach and in 2025 was awarded a Fulbright to Lisbon, Portugal to conduct research for her artistic project, A Fachada Transparente: The Transparent Façade.