What you wore, What you wear
In this series of artworks, clothing represents both the commuter and the commute. Art panels above gateways reveal open closets full of clothes.
Archives
Weaving a Transit Parkway: An Urban Allegory
Cliff Garten worked directly with the Preliminary Engineering Design Team to research, analyze and creatively interpret environmental/ historical resources to create a conceptual approach to the overall design continuity of the alignment, opportunities for individual station artists, and a design project that references the historic physical context of the E Line (Expo) Right of Way.
Urban Dualities
At Jefferson/USC Station, Samuel Rodriguez weaves a visual narrative that includes fragments of building facades, vintage rail cars, human figures, and fictional characters. Each art panel is visually divided by the silhouette of bike frames, the layout of a comic book.
Unknowable Origins
In “Unknowable Origins” by artist Tom LaDuke, softly rendered painterly views of Culver City as seen from surrounding hillside viewpoints frame the entry to the Culver City Station.
The Intimacy of Place
Project Description A sea of faces welcomes visitors to the station, a broad cultural mix of individuals who define life in the neighborhood. Dierdorff populated the station with intimate portraits of fronts and backs of heads as a commentary on public transportation, where people from many walks of life are removed from their personal spaces and find themselves in close physical proximity with strangers. The twelve individuals portrayed were photographed in locations that describe their role within the larger community. A variety of professions are represented, including a firefighter, a baker, a hat maker, and a mechanic, among others. Artist Statement “This sea of wondrous faces is Metro. Metro is not about people, Metro is people – thousands and thousands of different people every day. Each with their own story, their own worries, their own triumphs and their own tragedies – each different, each rare, each unique and each irreplaceable. The people who ride Metro every day are the same people from your favorite memory. They are your grandmother, your mother, your sister and your …
The Crying Rock and Saint Monica
The sculpture’s monumental sandstone and hand-formed glass recall Kuruvungna, Saint Monica, the Crying Rock and the Palisades at the center of Downtown Santa Monica. Gold paint and climbing white roses adorn the station wall, glowing in the afternoon light, inviting pedestrians to weave through the sculpture and feel the awe of nature and heft of memory.
Right Above The Right-Of-Way
Project Description Just as this aerial station provides views of the surrounding areas, the artworks present aerial views of local neighborhoods, depicted in an intricate series of colored pencil drawings. Drawn from photographs that were shot from a helicopter hovering above the city, the images present the structured landscape of the area punctuated with identifiable landmarks. Seen as a body of work, the group of eight art panels reveal a patchwork of growth and development that describe an ever changing civic infrastructure. Artist Statement “While waiting in the station, passengers will be able to see certain landmarks and to get a sense of where they are in a large, dense landscape. The handmade quality of my drawings reflects on the idea that our cities are places that we create and care for together.” About the Artist SUSAN LOGORECI has completed public art projects for the Los Angeles International Airport and City National Bank. Her work has been exhibited at venues such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Minsk, Torrance Art Museum, Angels Gate Cultural Center and …
Panoramas
Artworks on gateway arches depict the legs of travelers headed to their destinations: a business professional with her rolling briefcase, a parent with a stroller and a hummingbird in flight.
On Saturdays
Flick presents the landscape of the major streets surrounding Expo Park/ USC Station as a stream of images one might encounter through the window of a moving vehicle.
Neighborhood Portrait: Reconstructed
The final artwork–based on hundreds of photographs taken by the artist in the neighborhood–shares with Metro riders the gardens, front porches, living rooms and street life of area residents.
Local Color
While these collected discards are often overlooked by passersby, the artist re-presents these materials as the central focus of the landscapes, suggesting that they reveal potential narratives about the people who frequent the area. 26th St/Bergamot Station is located in close proximity to Bergamot Station Arts Center, a major hub for artistic activity.
L.A. Sonata
By weaving cultural identifiers with elements that denote the passage of time, artworks create a sense of shared place and historical significance that honors the heritage of the local, the immigrant and the tourist alike.
LA Metro Lotería
Jose Lozano’s LA Metro Lotería plays with the station name “La Brea,” retaining the Spanish language prefixes “La,” “El,” or “Los,” and substituting “Brea” with passenger interactions commonly encountered while riding Metro.
EXPO 1 Banners
To mark the historic opening of the first phase of the Expo Line, now E Line (Expo), and to welcome new transit riders to the neighborhood, Metro celebrated the many contributions of the South Los Angeles community and its rich ethnic diversity in a series of light pole banners installed along Crenshaw Blvd. between Exposition and Vernon.
Ephemeral Views: A Visual Essay
A constant observer of city life, Ronald Llanos presents snapshot sketches of everyday activities in this artwork for Expo/Western Station.
Engraved in Memory
Gonzalez’s imagery illustrates the history of the Ballona Creek and the local area’s deep history, with references to Tongva homes and villages, the Mission and Californio periods as well as the film industry.
Artist Educators
Art panels combine images of pencil drawings on wood panels and hand-cut Japanese washi paper collage to illustrate the people, places, nurseries and plant life of the area.
And Here I Will Stay
Project Description A series of art panels are united by a flowing sash, mean to convey the history and vitality of the local neighborhood. At locations facing the entrances to the platform, art panels depict the agricultural area that once existed as well as the present day urban city. A painted sash flows in front of the landscape. The front side depicts images of fabric patterns from a wide range of cultural traditions quilted together with a light blue yarn meant to signify the E Line (Expo). The back side of the sash contains a painted, abstracted map of the area with a blue line denoting the route of the E Line (Expo). At locations facing the interior of the platform, people, restaurants and theatres are the focus – drawing attention to the many different kinds of people and businesses that have contributed to the growth of the area. Artist Statement “By including images of the diverse existing community as well as a large veteran population, the pieces will offer a sense of warmth, youthfulness, …
All in a Day
Drawing on the rich history of Dorsey High School and the surrounding community, the art panels illustrate the many people who have contributed to the area’s growth and cultural life.
Wanderers
Wanderers explores connections between diverse populations and between humans and the earth.