The 75 foot mural spans across two walls that mark the entrance of the Wilshire Vermont subway station and residences © Photo Romy Petrick
The 75 foot mural spans across two walls that mark the entrance of the Wilshire Vermont subway station and residences © Photo Romy Petrick
The
large-scale mural “hand holding a bowl of rice” that was designed by the artist
April Greiman is a vibrant example of intervention into urban landscaping by public
art in the heart of Koreatown, Los Angeles.
The 75 foot mural, marking
the entrance to the Wilshire Vermont subway station and residences, intelligently creates ties between
the pedestrian community and drivers in the car-based city. The bold and intense colors, as well as
the sheer size of the artwork, attract attention from passers-by in an otherwise bland and non-descript
area. In a city that is virtually void of open public places, the mural forms a physical and mental
focal point for those traveling the endless grid of Los Angeles’ streets.
The
mural is in fact an oil painting, depicting a highly pixelated hand that holds a bowl of rice. The image
that presents itself to the viewer changes once you approach it, due to its unusual scale and its playful
application of color and light. This gigantic project took 29 days to be completed by two commissioned
artists working under the supervision of April Greiman. Greiman is known to experiment with new technologies
in image-making and “blends technology and science with symbol and myth, words and images with texture
and space.”
Taking art to the street, this mural with its clear symbology
speaks not only to the largely Asian residents of its immediate environment but also engages the general
public’s eye by creating a spacious atmosphere and upbeat emotions.
Links:
www.wvstation.com
www.aprilgreiman.com
