Today’s flashback is to Allison Hueman‘s 2017 mural Bloom, spotted in 2019 in downtown LA’s Arts District. The mural pays tribute to local community activist Joel Bloom, who passed away in 2007.
For more work by Hueman, also check out her Instagram.
Going all the way back to 2015 today for this mural by El MAC, Augustine Kofie, and Joseph ‘Nuke’ Montalvo. La Abuelita/Má’sání, a portrait of Diné (Navajo) weaver Martha Gorman Schultz, is located on the outside of The American Hotel in Los Angeles.
From El MAC (Miles MacGregor)’s website about the mural-
“The portrait is painted entirely with aerosol and fatcaps, and is based on photos I shot a few years ago of an artist named Martha Gorman Schultz. She is a Navajo blanket weaver from northern Arizona, and part of a respected family of weavers including her granddaughter, Melissa Cody.
I felt this painting of Martha could be an empowering representation of beauty not often depicted in public art or media. Beauty that is feminine, elderly, indigenous, loving and powerful.
The building this mural was painted on was constructed in 1901, and you can imagine how much Los Angeles history it’s seen over the last hundred years or so.
This was an especially collaborative effort- Along with the work of Kofie and Nuke surrounding the figure, SKILL UTI painted the wall to the left, integrating an already existing piece by DASH 2000(Rest In Peace). SWAN provided ground support, along with CHEE, AISE, BLK, OFIER, SELEK, CALVYRUS and some other younger members of UTI crew, which has been painting these walls for the last few decades.”
Sadly, Martha Gorman Schultz passed away in February of last year at the age of 93. For more information on her life and work, check out Hyperallergic’s tribute.
Mural by Annie Preece
Mural by Sébastien Walker
Mural by Ivan Preciado
Mural by Ivan Preciado
Mural by Jules Muck
These murals were created for Melrose Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles in 2015.
Artwork by Jennifer Korsen aka humansmakeart
The devastation and loss from the fires in Los Angeles has been heartbreaking.
If you are looking for a way to help, several organizations have put together fundraisers-
Contemporary Art Review LA has put together an extensive spreadsheet that, along with fundraisers by organizations, also includes Go Fund Me pages for individuals and businesses
@griefxhope has set up a fundraiser and information on mutual aid for artists and artworkers impacted by the fires
Anti-Recidivism Coalition is taking donations to support the incarcerated fire crews that have worked tirelessly to help put out the fires (write “firefighter fund” on the donation)
Pasadena Humane has been caring for animals injured in the fires and those needing to be sheltered, as well as providing supplies to pet owners in need
This tribute to artist Margaret Kilgallen was spotted in Los Angeles in 2014. The quote is paraphrasing what she said during an interview for the PBS program Art21. The full quote reads- “I do spend a lot of time trying to perfect my line work… when you get close up, you can always see the line waver. And I think that’s where the beauty is.” Kilgallen died of cancer in 2001, at only 33, but left behind a remarkable body of work.
You can currently see one of these works at Cantor Arts Center’s as part of the group exhibition, Day Jobs, on view until 7/21/24. The exhibition examines the impact of day jobs in the lives and work of several famous artists.
Image courtesy of Cantor Arts Center: Margaret Kilgallen, “Money to Loan (Paintings for the San Francisco Bus Shelter Posters)” [detail], 2000. Mixed media on paper and fabric, sheet 68 × 48½ inches Courtesy of the Margaret Kilgallen Estate, photo by Tony Prikryl
This mural, by @elpinchegogo, @denseinthehead, @keefaura, and @eder_one, was spotted in 2019 outside the A+D Museum in downtown Los Angeles.
Eder Cetina (eder_one) also runs Wilson Cetina Group, which has worked on numerous artistic projects for various organizations and museums.
This work by Phobik in Los Angeles was spotted in 2015.
This work by Septerhed was spotted in Los Angeles in 2019.
Mear One’s Gaia Basking in the Sunshine of Love, located off Melrose in Los Angeles. For more of Mear One’s work, also check out his Instagram.
