Great Wall of Los Angeles
Encyclopedia
The Great Wall of Los Angeles is a mural
designed by Judith Baca and executed by community youth and artists coordinated by the Social and Public Art Resource Center
(SPARC). It is located on the eastern edge of the Valley College
campus in the San Fernando Valley
community of Valley Glen, on the concrete sides of the Tujunga Wash
, part of the drainage system of Los Angeles, California
. With a length of 2,754 feet (840 m), it is credited as one of the longest murals in the world.
The mural depicts the history of California
through several panels; the first panels begin with prehistory
and colonialism
, but most of the following panels deal with events of the 20th century. It was created in conjunction with the rise of the Chicano Movement
of the 1960s-1980s.
The Great Wall of Los Angeles also places emphasis on the history of Native Americans
and minorities
with sections depicting events such as Japanese internment
and civil rights
.
The California Cultural and Historical Endowment recently set aside funding for the Great Wall to be restored over the next three years.
Baca is also designing plans to extend and continue the wall to reflect the 1960s to the present day.
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
designed by Judith Baca and executed by community youth and artists coordinated by the Social and Public Art Resource Center
Social and Public Art Resource Center
The Social and Public Art Resource Center is a non-profit community arts center based in Venice, California. SPARC hosts exhibitions, sponsors workshops and murals, and lobbies for the preservation of Los Angeles-area murals and other works of public art...
(SPARC). It is located on the eastern edge of the Valley College
Los Angeles Valley College
Los Angeles Valley College is a community college located in the Valley Glen district of Los Angeles, California in the east-central San Fernando Valley. The school is a part of the Los Angeles Community College District....
campus in the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
community of Valley Glen, on the concrete sides of the Tujunga Wash
Tujunga Wash
Tujunga Wash is a stream in Los Angeles County, California. It is a tributary of the Los Angeles River, providing about a fifth of its flow, and drains about...
, part of the drainage system of Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. With a length of 2,754 feet (840 m), it is credited as one of the longest murals in the world.
The mural depicts the history of California
History of California
The history of California can be divided into several periods: the Native American period; European exploration period from 1542 to 1769; the Spanish colonial period, 1769 to 1821; the Mexican period, 1821 to 1848; and United States statehood, which continues to the present day...
through several panels; the first panels begin with prehistory
Prehistory
Prehistory is the span of time before recorded history. Prehistory can refer to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it refers to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing...
and colonialism
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
, but most of the following panels deal with events of the 20th century. It was created in conjunction with the rise of the Chicano Movement
Chicano Movement
The Chicano Movement of the 1960s, also called the Chicano Civil Rights Movement, also known as El Movimiento, is an extension of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement which began in the 1940s with the stated goal of achieving Mexican American empowerment.-Origins:The Chicano Movement...
of the 1960s-1980s.
The Great Wall of Los Angeles also places emphasis on the history of Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
and minorities
Minority group
A minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
with sections depicting events such as Japanese internment
Japanese internment
Japanese internment is a term generally used to refer to one or both of the following events:*Japanese American internment, the internment of Japanese Americans in the United States during World War II...
and civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
.
The California Cultural and Historical Endowment recently set aside funding for the Great Wall to be restored over the next three years.
Baca is also designing plans to extend and continue the wall to reflect the 1960s to the present day.
External links
- Official site from SPARC
- Location: 34.174517°N 118.414346°W
- The Great Wall of Los Angeles, A mural of California history - images of the mural
- The Great Wall of Los Angeles at LAMurals.org - information about composition
- KCET Departures Interview - Interview with Bea Rully and Hector Martinez