viewfromaloft

Mural Policy in next stage of hearings

In an isolated part of the Arts District, a grafitti style mural was created in time for the opening of "Bicycle Junkies" last month. It was recently painted over by the owner to comply with a mandate that the mural was unsuitable for the community.

At first an objection of one phrase, claimed by LAPD to be the subject of a complaint, was painted over by the artist with the word “Censored."

That same community was not included in any planning stages for the piece, Yet, there may be more concern by that same community, who have an appreciation of street art, that they were not included in the recent decision to paint over the same mural.

Meanwhile, in a busier part of the Arts District, a mural with the image of a Mona Lisa was painted by an artist for a commercial shoot and only needed permission by the building owner. It has been allowed to stay despite a graffiti style signature.

Is the difference between the two street style murals one phrase? Or is a icon of art, well crafted even if cliché, considered safe and suitable by LAPD?

A curveball may be ready for the Majors

That video of Vin Scully stunned by the sight of a Clayton Kershaw curveball is back.  Yahoo sports writes:

In the press box at Vero Beach, Fla., sat Vin Scully, the Hall of Fame announcer who, at 80, still turns phrases and gilds them with his mellifluous voice. On the field stood Kershaw, 19 at the time, in his second spring training appearance with the Dodgers. He had retired the first two Boston batters when up stepped Sean Casey, a lifetime .300 hitter and a difficult mark for strikeout pitchers. Kershaw worked the count to two strikes before he unfurled one of those curveballs.

Casey had never seen a pitch like it. His knees jellied. The ball moved like a magic bullet, starting behind him, ending up flush in the strike zone. Scully, who has been broadcasting for 59 years, at first offered nothing more than a guttural noise of incredulity before bestowing a nickname that should stick.

“Holy mackerel,” Scully said. “He just broke off Public Enemy No. 1.”

It's a joy to hear Vin be delighted, surprised and amazed at one pitch. As for bringing the kid up to the majors, Jeff Passan brings Dodger fans back to earth:  "Whenever it is, the unknown will play out in Los Angeles, the mystery will lift and the idea of Kershaw will no longer be of such grand intrigue. Something disappears in the evolution from prospect to major leaguer, as if the most fun part is waiting to see the player rather than seeing him."

East L.A. going Chic?

There are two ways to look at "gentrification." One is the feared transition of Downtown's Historic Core that is causing Skid Row to be forced out. Call it blight flight. And there is the kind where a neighborhood upgrades itself and joins in its own growth, as seen in the LAT article  "Boyle Heights goes upscale":

That's a total of $4 billion in current and projected plans, says Evangeline Ordaz, vice president of the East LA Community Corporation, a nonprofit serving low-income residents. The concern, of course, is that outside interests will squeeze out existing businesses, raise rents and forever change the neighborhood's deeply rooted character.

"That's one of the things we would like to preserve," says Ordaz, who's also a playwright. "In the face of all this big development, our fear is that this sort of small business would get pushed out."

To Uribe, that raises the specter of the dreaded 14-letter word - gentrification. "I don't want to be put under that umbrella, like some Hollywood guy coming in here with no idea about the culture or community," says Uribe, who owns the bar with his wife of 15 years, Arlene, also born and raised in Boyle Heights. "Maybe gentrification is going to take place. Who knows? But if it does, I think it's going to be by the children of Boyle Heights, people who are just proud to be back in the neighborhood."

What I like is how Eastside Luv, a wine bar for the hood, has become a gathering spot for a new arts scene.

The crowd was a who's who of the local Latino arts scene, including Reyes Rodriguez of Tropico de Nopal gallery; Pilar Tomkins, the Claremont museum curator; and David Reyes, author of the Chicano rock book “Land of a Thousand Dances." Customer Cruz came with his significant other, Conchita Sousa, who runs the cafe at her family's Olvera Street business, Casa de Sousa.

In the case of Pilar Tomkins, it may have been one place where the curator gathered intelligence for her excellent and just opened exhibition "Vexing: Female Voices From East L.A. Punk"

view Boyle Heights goes upscale [LAT]

Current news from 4th and Main

LIGHTS OUT: GilVille residents looking for the urban experience found the summer-like weather causing enough overload to knock out power in the San Fernando Building and The Barclay at 4th and Main. The power was gone at 6:04pm, yet going past midnight people were still milling around the balmy dark patio of Pete’s Cafe getting a break from the heat with conversation and drinks. 5th Street from Spring to Main, and from Main to Los Angeles were blocked for crews working on transformers. Then the lights flicked on at 12:50am with a small cheer––and most likely one more toast to Downtown living.  Via peek from Meek.

 

One Singular Sensation . . .

 

. . . Every little step he takes: Kobe Bryant 34 points in a Lakers 108-105 win over the Jazz finds the early LAT website coverage alongside the online ad for A Chorus Line that's opening at the Ahmanson May 21.

Quick pass to the right

Go Right!: The conceptual lane in the Arts District now has a sign guiding traffic into a realigned northbound Santa Fe. Carry on.

Go Art!: Untitled (Gallery) opens Simon Haas: Drawings.  EVFA  opens Peter Novak Solo Exhibition.  Both receptions begin at 7pm. Welcome to the blog roll.

Go Jan!:  Via Radio Free Perry:  "Councilwoman (Jan) Perry introduced a motion asking the Department of Transportation to create a plan that would allow pedestrians to hail a taxi cab in downtown, one of the densest parts of the city. The item, along with this report will be scheduled for a discussion at the Transportation Committee and then forwarded to the entire City Council for a vote. While an exact date for the program launch is not set, the "Hail-a-Cab" pilot program could start as early as July 1, 2008." Other view [CurbedLA]

Go Lakers! Lakers in 6: I hope.

Go Forward!: A busy week with new projects coming in and loose ends for the weekend.  e@v, e@b and DDD will be back in the fast lane Monday. Plus, more vid clips to come.

'I call it home'

DELIVERING DOWNTOWN: Oscar Arce approached VFaL with an idea for a new project and asked for a few ideas that talk about how Downtown is changing. With the increased attendance at the Downtown Art Walk seen in April, I suggested that Gallery Row on the next second Thursday of the month would be a good place for him to begin. Together we explored some of the people and places around what's been called the epicenter of the monthly art walk. At the end of the night, Tom Gilmore walked by and we took some of his time to ask him about the growth of Downtown Art Walk, and if there was any news about the corner of 5th and Main  where a former Kings Market is being planned to converted  to become administrative offices and a clinic by the County of Los Angeles for “Project 50.”

And yes, while thinking the energetic Oscar would make a good host, somehow I went from producing this segment to being at the microphone.  Either way, it's a slice of downtown.
Filmed by Christopher Brown
Second Unit: Oscar Arce
Production Assistant: Pamela Rouse
Produced by Transflux Films