Project Description

The artist/architect team design for the Hollywood/Western Station attempts to reclaim the past for the future. The design pays homage to the native Mestizo heritage and original European settlement as well as to the panethnic backgrounds of more recent immigrants who constitute a large portion of Metro Rail users.

Artist May Sun created copper, granite and porcelain enamel panels with text and photographs set in a field of randomly-colored wall tiles. The panels depict bones of early camel, horse, and bison from excavations at the site, statements about Gabrielino life in the area, images of workers building the station and their counterparts on the old Red Car system, and images of the adjacent neighborhood. As a tribute to the Red Car system that ended its service to Hollywood in the early 1940s, two replicas of the old Pacific Electric Red Cars protrude from the mezzanine wall, allowing passengers to reminisce about the past while contemplating what the future may hold. Passengers will also find a station floor enhanced with bright granite pavers, some with small Mayan, Chinese, and Armenian symbols, and others formed into pictograms of the four natural elements (fire, earth, air, and water).

Collaboration with Escudero-Fribourg, Architects.

Artist Statement

“We hope this station will become a generating impetus for the establishment of a greater sense of place and appreciation for the unique identity of the surrounding community and provide the city with a revitalized eastern gateway for Hollywood.”  – May Sun & Paul Diez

“The boldness and brightness of the tiles stand in welcome relief to the surrounding muted tones of this dusty corner.”  – Arturo Fribourg

About the Artist

MAY SUN was born in Shanghai, and raised in Hong Kong and San Diego. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from UCLA, and a Master of Fine Arts from Otis Art Institute. Her work ranges from theater-based performances to multi-media installations. Her public art projects include the Gateway Transit Center, Culver City’s City Hall, Boston’s Central Artery, and a commemorative fence for Chinatown. Sun has taught at CalArts in Los Angeles, and been an artist-in-residence at Monet’s Gardens in Giverny, France, and at ArtPace in San Antonio, TX.

 

 

 

ESCUDERO-FRIBOURG ARCHITECTS was established in 1972 and provides a wide range of architectural and planning services in Southern California. E-FA has been involved in numerous public projects including Metro B Line (Red) and C Line (Green) stations, the LA Convention Center, USC, and projects for the City of LA. Paul Diez served as lead designer and Art Fribourg was the managing designer on this station.

Display year: 1999 –