No tags yet.
It is safe to say that we are more than exited that spring has officially begun and we have seriously been taking advantage of the oh-so-beautiful weather here in L.A. This city is full of art, free art at that, all you have to do is be willing to go on a bit of an adventure to find it. That is exactly what we did, and we thought that we would share our adventure with you, in hopes of inspiring you to follow in our footsteps.
Our journey started as our commute ended at the corner of Olympic and Santa Fe Ave where we came across an art trio that is seemingly random. We went to this particular corner in search of the piece by Man One, entitled "Graffiti Spirit Over City Hall" (right). This colorful piece, found on the side of Vortex a car, van, and truck wholesale accessories distributor, is "a statement on how graffiti artists have forced themselves into the City's dialogue about what is public art and ending the mural moratorium. The City can no longer be dismissive about our art-form and its positive impact on
community and youth culture." Read more.
To our surprise, "Graffiti Spirit" was not alone on this wall that is passed by thousands of commuters on the daily. Accompanying this piece was two others. The first (left) appears to be an angel, the other (center) a super boy, but you can raise your own
opinions on those.
This is a perfect example of how you can find art around every corner here in Los Angeles. While driving down Mateo, we came across this Untitled work by the collaborating team of L.A. local David Choe and Barcelona artist Aryz is found as you enter the Los Angeles Art's District on the corner of 7th and Mateo between Silver Lake Wine and the carefully curated shop The Good Liver. Each artist created a portrait in their own individual style while working together to great the background. See more here.
Driving through the Los Angeles Art's District for the first time is an experience, and from an outsiders perspective, a confusing one at that. A mysterious area with the combination of revived warehouses, modern apartment buildings, and unique hipster bars, coffee shops, and restaurants. Our first beautiful find is in the alley of the Hauser Wirth & Schimmel gallery (1), a former flour mill. Artist Kim West who originally painted the bear portrait found in the left corner alone, was invited by the gallery to expand on her work, thus creating the beautiful blue work that you see now. Learn more here.
While your here you may want to check out thecurrent exhibit featuring Sculpture By Women 1947-2016.
Whether you choose to enter the exhibit or not, this is an area where we really encourage you to get out of the car and explore! We stopped by Blacktop Coffee across the street where we enjoyed a latte and poached eggs on toast. If you are looking for something a little more "lunch-esque", try the always delicious Umami Burger, just down the road.
While you wonder the streets of the ever intriguing Art's District, you will really begin to see that art is truly everywhere you look: On the ground, telephone poles, and of course the once vacant walls turned art canvases. Our favorite accidental finds were the tire totem pole artist unknown (2), "Cream Of The Crop" by Dabs & Myla and How & Nosm (3), "I Was A Botox Junkie" by Tristan Eaton (4), and "Beautifully Destroyed" by RISK (5).
Set out and see what you can find!
A short drive (or walk) east of the Art's District is Little Tokyo, a Japanese based community where you can immerse yourself in traditional culture while remaining in L.A. Outside the Japanese American National Museum you will find the dreamy work of Katie Yamasaki entitled "Moon Beholders". This is a particularly special piece for the community because it featured community painting days where members got the opportunity to paint on the mural themselves. Learn more and check out the awesome video here.
Want more in this area? Check out the current exhibit at
And take a stroll through the Little Tokyo Marketplace for authentic Japanese cuisine.
A short driving distance away at 420 Boyd St, is a very impressive piece entitled
"Amor Debaixo D'água", translated to "Love Underwater". Painted by Bicicleta Sem Freio, the mural engulfs all four walls of the five story building.
5th and Main. Park in this area. We stumbled upon these two murals while looking for parking for our next stop, one of the happiest of accidents. Brazilian artist Claudio Ethos was commissioned by LA Art Machine and The Do Art Foundation to paint this piece. This mural is sure to make you double take and really think about its
mysterious meaning.
Finally, we walked over to our final stop on the corner of 4th and Hill, "Color Zip" by Ben Barnes (also known as Chubs 217) , found on the back wall of Club Fantasy. The artist states that "'Color Zip' is a representation of the new Downtown LA, vibrant, lively, cultured and unique. For years to come this mural will still signify the progression of Downtown LA and how far we have come as a community".
Okay, we lied, that was not our last stop. As we rounded the corner, we realized exactly where we were...right next to Grand Central Market! If you have never been, you need to add this stop to your itinerary! Here, you can sample a wider variety of foods as well as get your coffee fix.
We hope that our journey has inspired you to create a journey of your own through the inspiring land that is downtown Los Angeles.
Check out our route below for the locations of our adventure!
1. East Olympic and Santa Fe- "Graffiti Spirit over City Hall"
2. 7th and Mateo- David Choe and Aryz collaboration
3. 912 East 3rd St- Hauser Wirth & Schimmel Gallery and Arts District
4. 152 N Central Ave- "Moon Beholders" and The MOCA Geffen
5. 420 Boyd St- "Amor Debaixo D'água"
6. S Main and Winston- Work by Claudio Ethos
7. 4th and Hill St- "Color Zip"
8. 317 S Broadway- Grand Central Market