In addition to integrating artwork at all Metro stations, we also offer transit riders the opportunity to engage with a wide variety of artworks through multiple exhibition series. The unique, site-specific formats range from neighborhood posters and photography to community art banners and most recently on TAP cards and digital screens at station platforms.
An Ode To The Essential is a new tribute dedicated to all essential workers and to those we have lost. The tribute features an original poem by Joseph Rios with text in a reflective gold reminiscent of the glow of afternoon light and suspended over a delicate line drawing of a distinctly Los Angeles cityscape by artist Manuel López.
Alhambra was the first city in California with an iron pipe irrigation system. The pipes frame the cultural icons and symbols of the city, including its founder, B.D. Wilson, and depict the community’s diversity, commerce and history.
Nature trails, train tracks, map fragments and names of local landmarks are nestled along sun-kissed mountain peaks and natural wonder that this independent, creative community in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains offers.
Limited edition TAP cards are Metro’s smallest artworks that fit inside pockets and accompany transit riders on their journeys.
Project Description Azusa Avenue, Highway 39, is a scenic boulevard that leads to the San Gabriel Mountains. Ohmit depicts the rows of old palm trees that mark the change from Southern California desert to rugged mountain terrain. Artist Statement “Calling itself the Canyon City, Azusa serves as the gateway to the San Gabriel Mountains. Clothed in late afternoon sunshine, majestic old palm trees line Azusa Avenue creating a dramatic entrance, rather like a fanfare announcing the abrupt transition from city to wilderness.” About the Artist MARY ANN OHMIT received a Bachelor of Arts from St. Cloud University in Minnesota. She taught art at Azusa High School for many years. Her work is exhibited in several galleries in California and Minnesota. Display year: 2011 – Locations: Azusa
Project Description This cityscape celebrates a natural refuge known for expansive vistas, which draw native wildlife and people alike. Artist Statement “My vision for the artwork imagines a Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook that is blooming with life through my hyperbolic drawings of oversized native plants and animals, surrounded by a city and draped on both sides with an expansive view. I used various computer generated color textures along with my hand drawn renditions of native plants and animals to create the landscape. My focus on the landscape and the native plants and animals is to emphasize to Metro riders the uniqueness of the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook as an “ecological island” in the Culver City neighborhood.” About the Artist MICHAEL C. HSIUNG (b. 1976, Los Angeles) was raised in the San Fernando Valley where exposure to skateboarding, heavy metal and Dungeons & Dragons fueled his imagination. He is a self-taught artist and illustrator known for his portly, bearded hybrid creatures and signature line-drawn style. Hsiung was born to Chinese-Taiwanese immigrants and studied English literature at San …
Project Description Heller illustrates a Chatsworth landmark, Stoney Point, while celebrating the classic car and equestrian cultures indicative of this unique part of Los Angeles County. Artist Statement “I really want to give a sense of the still very open landscape of this part of the valley. The classic car culture out here is pretty big and it helps to show the main thoroughfare through town: Topanga Canyon Blvd. Stoney Point/Rocky Peak is also an iconic feature of the landscape.” About the Artist DANNY HELLER is a painter from Northridge. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley where he studied the Los Angeles landscape. While under the instruction of the landscape painter Hank Pitcher, he earned a Bachelor of Art with emphasis in painting at the College of Creative Studies (University of California, Santa Barbara). Heller develops his works in his Chatsworth studio and depicts mid-century Los Angeles with a focus on architecture and car culture. His paintings have been exhibited at venues that include Judith Kaufman Gallery (CA), Art Basel (FL) and LA Art …
Trevino has adapted the Monkey King character from Chinese folklore to symbolically bridge the gap between Chinatown’s traditions and its emerging pop culture.
Project Description through the eyes of artist Jessica Polzin McCoy Delicate watercolors depict a college town that flourishes within the creative environment of The Claremont University Consortium, and opens an informal invitation to visit a backyard, ride a bike, step into a shady grove and attend school. Artist Statement “Every town is unique; it has specific characteristics, a visual identity. It was my goal to capture the identity of Claremont. It may not include everything that is meaningful, or the most easily identifiable places in the village, but as a whole it captures the tone, spirit, and colors of the environment. The streetscape was assembled using images of private homes, public buildings, and businesses within the boundaries of Claremont.” About the Artist JESSICA POLZIN McCOY is Assistant Professor of Art at Pitzer College, Claremont, CA. Her paintings have been exhibited at venues such as the Ontario Museum of Art, Columbus College of Art and Design, and the Porter Butts Gallery at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is the recipient of an Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist Grant …
Project Description Pinkney’s goal was to capture the energy and excitement of the City of Compton through local cultural icons (known and not so well-known) including: the Compton Airport, Compton Creek Horse Trail, Olympic Memorial Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and a skate park. Artist Statement “Upon visiting the City of Compton, you soon become aware of the energy and excitement found here. The impression is often quite different from how the city is depicted in the media and by non-residents.” About the Artist ELLIOTT PINKNEY was born and spent his childhood in Brunswick, Georgia. His high school teachers encouraged him to pursue a career in the arts. He moved to California and received a Bachelor of Arts with honors from Woodbury University. Pinkney is an accomplished artist who works in a variety of media; he is a printmaker, muralist and sculptor and his work is centered around color experimentation. He has done several murals in Compton and Los Angeles. He has had public commissions from SPARC, the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, the Los …
Project Description Divining Los Angeles Landscapes: Woodlands to Watersheds On display in Union Station Passageway Art Gallery July 2015-July 2016 Photo based artworks by three artists invite visitors to Union Station to explore the histories, paradoxes, ironies and majesties of Los Angeles landscapes. The thirty-six illuminated color and black-and-white photographs on display in this passageway meander from ethereal botanical specimens at large scale to vistas of the wild urban edges, and the connective unnatural nature in between. Joyce Campbell – In the Ether Ken Gonzales-Day – Oak and Thistle: Views of the Santa Monica and San Gabriel Mountains John Humble – Natura Urbanus About the Artist JOYCE CAMPBELL (b. 1971, New Zealand) earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Canterbury University and Master of Fine Arts from the University of Auckland, where she is pursuing a doctoral degree in creative practice. She has lectured at a number of universities, including California State University, Northridge, Claremont Graduate University, Scripps College, the University of Auckland Elam School of the Arts and the University of California, Irvine. Her interdisciplinary work has been …
Warm highlights accentuate the principally blue, painted composition in which variously scaled figures stroll, dine, shop, and cycle among charmingly detailed architectural facades, signage, sidewalk planters, and street trees.
Project Description It first appears that every street sign is the same, but upon closer inspection reveals a subtle survey of the history of the community. Each sign, like each street is unique and vital and part this urban village’s small town persona. Artist Statement “Over a number of days I collected nearly 200 unique street sign images. Over the grid of diverse street signs are images of the shadow of the Eagle Rock. Can you find them all? The streets are stand-ins for the diverse citizens, schools, restaurants, markets, cafes and modes of transportation. A contemporary look at the neighborhood yields quite different results than a look at the neighborhood of the past.” About the Artist ALEXIS DISSELKOEN was born and raised in Los Angeles. She is a multi-disciplinary artist who uses performance, photography, textiles and text to express her view of living in Los Angeles. She has presented her work at Eternal Telethon, Perform Wow!, Machine and Las Cienegas Projects. She is currently teaching at the Roski School of the Arts, University of Southern …
Project Description A bustling community, vibrant architectural façades and lush flora harmonize with the Hollywood landmarks dotting this cityscape’s mountainous backdrop. Celebrating the vitality and diversity of East Hollywood, a flagpole at the heart of this snapshot of daily life proudly reflects the neighborhood’s Armenian, Mexican, Salvadoran and Thai heritage. Artist Statement “Although East Hollywood is home to many cultural landmarks and important institutions, I chose to create a streetscape that represents a routine day, because what truly makes a neighborhood special are its residents and how they choose to engage with their environment.” About the Artist ANA SERRANO (b. 1983, Los Angeles) is best known for her colorful cardboard sculptures that explore how Latino communities alter and adorn the urban landscape. Serrano is a first-generation Mexican American Angeleno. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Art Center College of Design. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the United States, including locally at the Craft and Folk Art Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Latin American Art, the Pasadena …
Rodríguez illustrates how East Los Angeles cemeteries honor their diverse histories and reflect the community’s sense of family and soul.
Project Description Cosentino’s oil on canvas of Echo Park depicts an idyllic setting for a wide range of activities and festivals close to downtown. Artist Statement “There it was all laid out before me: the palm trees, Echo Park Lake, the boathouse, Rafa doing Tai chi (like he did so many mornings) and breaking through the mist in the distance, the skyscrapers of Downtown.” About the Artist MANNY COSENTINO is an artist and art educator. He has exhibited in many Los Angeles galleries, including a solo exhibition at the Barnsdall Art Center in 1996 and the Landscapes 2003 Exhibition at the California State University, Los Angeles. Cosentino has also taught seminars in classical painting and drawing techniques at the University of California, Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Display year: 2004 – Locations: Echo Park
Project Description Sculptural olive trees align the streets along Valley Mall, the city’s bustling shopping district, and reference the original barrios. Flower and strawberry fields lie in the shade of the San Gabriel Mountains. Artist Statement “What began as a mere oasis along the Santa Fe Trail, became the final destination for many immigrants impressed by the undeniable qualities of El Monte. These groups settled in nine separate “barrios” which, over the years, built strong ties with one another, ties that eventually led to collective action in 1933 for improved treatment and wages.” About the Artist LOIS KELLER received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin, has exhibited throughout the United States and has worked as a scenic painter for the Cincinnati Opera and Ballet. Display year: 2006 – Locations: El Monte
Project Description The bold gaze of young Angelenos at the site of the original pueblo of Los Angeles offers a reminder that the city’s vibrant heritage lives on in future generations. Artist Statement “I have found the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument to be an educational portal for young people, including my own children. I have painted a picture that takes them back in time, educating and informing them of the history that gave birth to our city’s name, “La Reina de Los Angeles.” This painting serves as an introduction to the importance of its history and as an invitation across generations to take pride in the vibrant heritage that has led us to this place today.” About the Artist FABIAN DEBORA (b. 1975, El Paso, Texas) is a painter and muralist raised in Los Angeles’s Boyle Heights neighborhood. Early in his career, he interned with LA artist Wayne Healy and created murals with East Los Streetscapers. Today, his paintings are featured in exhibitions and on exterior walls throughout the Los Angeles region. In addition …
Beneath a gradient sky and full moon in Roberto Benavidez’s Gateway to El Sereno is El Sereno’s crown jewel: the undeveloped land of Ascot Hills Park.
Combining a dramatic indigo sky, romantic architecture, archival imagery, and a dense landscape of roses, Orlovski visually intertwines history and the natural world to depict a place that is both familiar and exotic, a place dreamed about and remembered.
Abstract art utilizes a visual language of shape, color, and line to depict a composition devoid of recognizable things from nature.
Project Description Michele Asselin is best known for her photographic portraiture focusing on individual identities within larger social constructs. Her past work includes a series of portraits of domestic workers and a series of photographs about the loss of Hollywood Park Race Track. For this artwork, Asselin has created luminous portraits of an urban planner, mechanic, bus operator, rail security officer and other professions. The artist found inspiration in the personal and professional stories that drew her subjects to Metro. Forward Motion was installed on the occasion of Womens’ History Month 2019 and celebrates women working in a range of professions at Metro. It also features members of the inaugural Women and Girls Governing Council created by Metro CEO Phil Washington. The Council is tasked with exploring ways Metro can achieve a more gender-balanced workforce, accelerate career advancement for women and improve mobility for female ridership. Visit the expanded page on Forward Motion here. Artist Statement “With Forward Motion, I want to highlight the women of Metro as well as the environments in which they work. My hope is that the Metro patrons who …
Beneath suspended power lines, a vibrant green garden blooms around a central figure working the land, calling to mind the many farms and nurseries that contributed to the development and naming of the city.
Project Description This memorable artist “impression” of the City of Glendale draws from the Brand Park’s diverse cultural venues including the Brand Library, Doctor’s House Museum, Miradero and Japanese Garden which she intertwines iconography representing the City’s rich ethnic fabric. Artist Statement “I wanted to capture city’s historical value and cultural diversity. All of these elements represent the multicultural and thriving city of Glendale is today.” About the Artist EDITH WADDELL has exhibited her artwork locally at such institutions as La Luz de Jesus Gallery and Hive Gallery. She has experience as a painter, illustrator and printmaker. Waddell self-published a children’s book titled “The Freaky Circus Book” and has exhibited at local art galleries including Hive Gallery, La Luz de Jesus and Da Vinci. She is the recipient of the Buchalter Memorial Scholarship and Gay Johnson Award. Waddell received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Otis College of Art and Design. Display year: 2015 – Locations: Glendale
Project Description Zoell is an artist who frequently uses the language of advertising as his medium. Zoell depicts Griffith Park as a whimsical, fun environment boasting many attractions. Covering 4000 acres it’s the largest municipal park in the United States. Artist Statement “What especially attracts me to the early posters of the 20s, 30s and 40s is the simplicity and minimal thinking in order to reach an audience of a busy modern world. The colors were often very bold and screamed ‘Look at me, forget those other guys, I am very simple, LOOK AT ME’.” About the Artist The artwork of BOB ZOELL has been featured in The New Yorker magazine and he has authored and illustrated many children’s books. He has been included in exhibitions throughout the world including the Fundacio Joan Miro, Barcelona and the Center Georges Pompidou, Paris. His artwork is included in the permanent collection of the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. Display year: 2003 – Locations: Griffith Park
