Writing on the Wall
Departures' coverage on murals and street art in Los Angeles began during a critical moment of the city's public art legacy; in its own way it's part of KCET's tradition of documenting the indigenous art movement since its beginnings. In this column Ed Fuentes surveys murals and street art as public art and policy, and on occasion, provide a platform for guest commentators.
Metro's Summer Public Art Tour Connects Rail, Artists, and Communities
June 13, 2013 4:00 PM
by Ed Fuentes
Writing on the Wall:
The summer tour will be held on the first Thursdays of July, August, and September.
Writing on the Wall:
If the stage production of "Zoot Suit" made El Pachuco the flag bearer of identity, its poster became the garrison flag.
Writing on the Wall:
May 2013 saw more murals coming, then going. Here's some news and notes we like to tag under Monthly Mural Wrap.
California Art Club: A Link to L.A. Public Art History
May 31, 2013 11:00 AM
by Ed Fuentes
Writing on the Wall:
More than a century after its founding in 1909, the California Art Club is still fighting the good fight as part of L.A.'s art history.
Writing on the Wall:
With help from Cheech Marin, a university in a traditionally conservative Virginia town looks at the murals of Los Angeles for a lesson in Chicano/a art.
In Ruben Soto's Restored Echo Park Mural, the 'Eyes' Have It
May 15, 2013 10:00 AM
by Ed Fuentes
Writing on the Wall:
The Echo Park mural has gone through three lives since its original completion in 1991.
Writing on the Wall:
Artists have often used Skid Row as source material, using the theme that the status of its residents doesn't change.
Writing on the Wall:
Painter and museum educator Sandy Rodriguez shares that experience of creating the interior mural at the The América Tropical Interpretive Center in a guest editorial.
Monthly Mural Wrap: A Dozen Tags for April, 2013
April 30, 2013 3:00 PM
by Ed Fuentes
Writing on the Wall:
April 2013 is filled with random news of street art, murals, and how they fit in public space. Here's some news and notes we like to tag under Monthly Mural Wrap.
Public Memory of Mount Rubidoux Saved in Riverside
April 26, 2013 12:30 PM
by Ed Fuentes
Writing on the Wall:
The cross will stay on the stoic hill as an early form of public art that supports the idea that California culture was defined by Father Junipero Serra.
Writing on the Wall:
This month, for the first time in thirty years, a Millard Sheets mosaic is being installed.
Station Art Revealed for Phase 2 of Metro Expo Line
April 12, 2013 10:00 AM
by Ed Fuentes
Writing on the Wall:
Eight artists, selected from 400 applicants, will make the rail system a visual engagement between people and place.
Photography Turns Street Art and Murals into a Complete Urban Collage
April 5, 2013 11:00 AM
by Ed Fuentes
Writing on the Wall:
When one takes a closer look at murals through a photograph, it shows how they share space with the immediate environment -- and begins to resemble early 20th century photo-montage collage.
Monthly Mural Wrap: A Dozen Tags for March, 2013
March 31, 2013 10:00 AM
by Ed Fuentes
Writing on the Wall:
Here are a dozen news and notes about street art and murals from the month of March, 2013.
Writing on the Wall:
The major work at the L.A. Central Library that has survived grime, two arson fires, and budget cuts, is not getting much attention on its 80th Anniversary.
Street Art Can Have a Message with the Medium
March 21, 2013 11:00 AM
by Ed Fuentes
Writing on the Wall:
The act of making a statement in public space has instant cachet, just because it's being done. With so much street art, is it now more important to have meaning?
Muralist Levi Ponce Uses Van Nuys Boulevard as a Gallery
March 14, 2013 2:30 PM
by Ed Fuentes
Writing on the Wall:
Levi Fonz Ponce doesn't want to change the world. He just wants to change his street.
Writing on the Wall:
The unlikely partnership between a billboard company and street artists brings change in the relationship between art and outdoor commerce.
Monthly Mural Wrap: A Dozen Tags for February, 2013
February 28, 2013 12:00 PM
by Ed Fuentes
Writing on the Wall:
Here are some newsworthy items about murals and street art in Los Angeles for February 2013.
Tree Seeds Graffiti Art Installation on Empty Downtown Floors
February 26, 2013 11:30 AM
by Ed Fuentes
Writing on the Wall:
Foliage growing out of the roof of a five-story downtown building became inspiration for an art exhibition.

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