Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA) Compilation

                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                The One Bunker Hill Building is the former headquarters of the Southern California Edison Company and was designed by James E. and David C. Allison. Completed in 1931, the design of the building was created as a testament to modernity. The history of the building and artwork is featured on this podcast.
                                            
                                        

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/G3BEM146389E.vtt

                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                At 550 S. Hope Street, we return to a building site that incorporates a series of plazas and public spaces and to a work that asks us to imagine different environments. Lita Albuquerque is the artist behind "Site/Memory/Reflection," a six-feature installation that ties together the site’s multi-level outdoor spaces and brings in the surrounding sidewalk and street. 
                                            
                                        

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/DJIAP147110E.vtt

                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                One of the largest public art budgets was generated in 1981, for the 48 story office tower known as the Wells Fargo Building. More than $1.1 million was eventually spent on art because of the Community Redevelopment Agency’s percent for art program. Because of this enormous budget, the developer was able to bring in several prominent works by famous 20th century artists which created great art exposure for the public in Los Angeles. The work of Bruce Nauman, Frank Stella, Mark di Suvero, Michael Heizer, and Robert Rauschenberg are featured here.
                                            
                                        

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/JGMTU1480851.vtt

                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                Lawrence Halprin's landscape architecture and Robert Graham's bronze sculpture called "Source Figure" are featured in this podcast.
                                            
                                        
                                            
                                        

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/UN6QA14746FE.vtt

                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                Inside the First Interstate World Center are murals by the Russian artists Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid. Details in the murals encompass the many cultures that populate Los Angeles, including Italian, South American, Native American, and Nigerian.
                                            
                                        

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/D22YN1471131.vtt

                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                Two works are discussed in this podcast. Artist Nancy Graves was selected to create a sculpture outside of the Wells Fargo Building; titled her artwork "Sequi," which means to follow in Latin. Nearby is Louise Nevelson's work, "Night Sail." The podcast gives the history and analysis of these sculptures by two major artists.
                                            
                                        

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/RWMV414884A5.vtt

                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                Wells Fargo Court is a pleasant place to gather. To add to the ambiance, the developer Maguire Thomas Partners, a firm responsible for much of the development around Bunker Hill incorporated sculpture by major 20th century artists from their private collection into this public space. The work of five artists--Jean Dubuffet, Joan Miro, Alexander Calder, Robert Graham, and Alexander Liberman--are featured and analyzed.
                                            
                                        

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/TAJMQ1474670.vtt

Two works of art are described inside and outside the Manufacturer's Bank. Jurichiro Hannyo created a statue of Kinjiro, a Japanese pioneer who evitalized the agricultural sector and introduced farmers to new irrigation and fertilization methods. Inside the building, an Origami Horse, made by Natalie Krol, is also featured.

This podcast discusses Honda Plaza. Named after Bob Honda, the Japanese developer of the space, two artworks are described that pay homage to him.

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/TUTCT14713E9.vtt

Inside the Japanese Village Square is a mobile-like, stainless steel sculpture, called "Aurora", by Susumu Shingu, in collaboration with the building's architect, Hiyahiko Takase.

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/FVZ5I14710E6.vtt

In the 1980s, the tallest skyscrapers ever in Los Angeles made their debut, the two towers of One California Plaza, Wells Fargo Center, Arco Plaza and the US Bank Tower. Artist Lili Lakich executed a sculpture made from neon lights, entitled "LA Angel," not only to complete the site developer’s public art obligation but also to respond to a utilitarian need of the space. 

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/DXWW414746F8.vtt

The artistic contributions of poetry, sculpture and commemorative sites on our Financial District tour all serve to remind us that the skyscrapers we see today are one of many layers of time and use that this neighborhood has known. We hope that this tour has given you a closer look at the vibrant, yet seamless spaces, created by and within the Financial District’s towers. 

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/EERHI14808A5.vtt

This podcast describes the artwork in the courtyard of Brunswig Square. Peter Lodato was commissioned to create a obelisk, called "Silver Tower," that fit with the surrounding architecture. 

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/R3ZHN14759B8.vtt

This podcast discusses Shinkichi Tajiri’s Friendship Knot. The sculpture represents “unity between two cultures.”

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/YR44J1483F9E.vtt

                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                The Ernst & Young Plaza, and the 7th & Figueroa Marketplace were products of development in the 1980’s, and provide large canvases of public spaces for artists to collaborate, creating the first stop on our tour, Poet’s Walk. Two works in this space--"Once there was a Forest" and "Corporate Head"--are discussed in this podcast.
                                            
                                        

Biddy Mason Park is a site that commemorates the park's namesake, Biddy Mason, a slave in the early 1800s who lived near this area. She fought for her freedom in court and won in 1856.

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/YCC4W1474955.vtt

Little Tokyo's distinct public art pieces depict community and the ideals of balance and harmony. As the neighborhood moves into new phases of residential and commercial growth, these ideals will continue to sustain the large Little Tokyo community. 

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/AUBKX147A87A.vtt

This podcast takes the listener back to Broadway Street in the 1930s. It describes the culture and the sites one would have seen along the street then.

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/69IYZ148842F.vtt

The artworks of the historic core explore the people and the places that contributed to the building of Los Angeles that exists today. These artists provide a window into the lives of these legends with monuments to their pluck and ingenuity. 

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/5Q24F1471155.vtt

Tokyo Villas is condominium complex described in this podcast. It was designed to mimic Tokyo. Tony Sheets created a sculpture near the condominium, named "Issei No Yume," which remembers Japanese immigrants who came to Los Angeles.

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/74NAG1474528.vtt

The public artworks and surrounding monumental architecture of the Historic Core highlight key people and places in the early story of the city. This tour will provide you with a sense of where it all started and of the diverse heritage that makes this city what it is today. 

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/DQSRK14746CC.vtt

In addition to its architecture, several public art pieces can be found along the pedestrian pathway through the Japanese Village Square. Several artworks, including a bronze sculpture, a fountain, and a sculptural haiku.

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/5UDNN147494A.vtt

"Biddy Mason, Time and Place" is a 81 foot long concrete wall designed by Sheila Levrant de Brettville. The wall, partitioned in decades, contains maps and drawings remembering Mason.

Highlights Little Tokyo's past and present as depicted through the neighborhoods public art.

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/F97TD147450C.vtt

The Grand Central Market was originally designed by John Parkinson for Homer Laughlin, the founder of Homer Laughlin China Company. The market opened in this building in 1917. Today, in front of the Market is a bike rack called "The Bike Stops Here," which is one of a series of ten around town. Southern California School of Architecture students designed the bike racks. 

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/DP3ZD1479641.vtt

This podcast highlights De Bretteville’s piece "Omoide No Shotokyo." Both important and compelling because it deals with the complexities of the multigenerational identities present in the community.

This podcast discusses Toyo Miyatake, who captured the daily life of Little Tokyo on film, before he was taken to an internment camp, where he continued to secretly document Japanese-American life.

Discussed in this podcast is Nancy Uyemura’s dramatic fan and photo collage at the entrance to Casa Heiwa – House of Harmony Assisted Living complex. Called "Harmony," the sculpture represents layers of lives and seasons in Los Angeles.

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/5C7WF147A8D7.vtt

This podcast describes "The Home," Little Tokyo mural, created by Tony Osumi, Sergio Diaz and Jorge Diaz. The three artists involved community members in the mural design process through open meetings to discuss and collect ideas. 

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/VHUQ41483F98.vtt

In this podcast, a series of Poet’s Walk pieces are featured. 

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/89ZJE1483FA3.vtt

This podcast tells of Michihiro Kosuge's "Towers of Peace, Prosperity, and Hope." Mimicking the downtown skyscrapers, these sculptures stand tall outside the Allright Garage.  

This podcast discusses Tony Sheets's "Los Angeles Evolves," a relief mural on the Broadway Spring Center Parking Structure. Sheets's inspiration and technique are included. 

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/76BQZ14759C2.vtt

This podcast describes the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center's Noguchi Plaza. A sculpture, "To the Issei," was created by the esteemed Los Angeles-native Isamu Noguchi. The sculpture helps to define the space where it resides.

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/FTNGC1482C4E.vtt

                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                This podcast highlights the sculpture Zanja Madre or “Mother Ditch," named after the ditch that carried water to the original Pueblo of Los Angeles. The sculpture reflects water’s critical role in the city’s development. The podcast contains an analysis of the work by the artist, Andrew Leicester.
                                            
                                        

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/N6PSG1482B48.vtt

Barbara McCarren's work, "Hey Day" is described in detail. She describes the impetus behind her fault line design in Pershing Square.

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/ZK77M146FC00.vtt

Stop Two's podcast describes Pershing Square through a quote on a contemporary bench placed in the square. The bench, made by Barbara McCarren in 1994, memorializes a day in the square in 1946.

This podcast includes information about the birth and history of the central plaza, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the nearby Water Court.

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/SFXFM14795D9.vtt

Kim Abeles created designs on sewer covers along Hill Street. Her downtown studio adjacent to factories and gritty street life provoked her to create artworks that tackle ‘real’ life rather than ethereal themes.

Built in 1893, the Bradbury Building was one of the city's most remarkable architectural places. It was commissioned by Lewis Bradbery, who wanted a commercial building near his fashionable home. He hired George Wyman to design the building. Wyman, who initially turned down the offer, later accepted it after receiving a spirit message from his dead brother.

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/24VUU14884B0.vtt

                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                The Fine Arts Building, designed in 1927 by Walker and Eisen, is historically significant. It is one of the last of its era incorporating sculpture into its exterior architecture done largely by Burt Johnson, the project’s primary artist. 
                                            
                                        

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/D85UD1483FB0.vtt

                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                Focusing on the Financial District, this audio tour highlights the revolving relationship between the built environment and the people and natural resources that sustain it.
                                            
                                        

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/AK7S9147A8AA.vtt

                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                A synopsis of the history of Bunker Hill is given in this conclusion. We hope you now have a better understanding of the city and its history as told through the artists who have given their interpretations of the story. 
                                            
                                        

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/9CQKY147494F.vtt

The history of Bunker Hill, is told on this podcast. The area was settled in 1867, and began with Victorian houses and elegant homes. By the 1950s, however, much of the neighborhood had fallen into disrepair. The Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA) later became involved with the revitalization of this area. 

https://storage.googleapis.com/cnow/captions/podcast/9QDV91471428.vtt

"Stone Rise" is a sculpture made by Seiji Kunishima that consists of four large African granite blocks, each weighing 10 tons and separated by seven small black Indian granite stones. Recalling a shakkei, or "borrowed scenery" garden, the mirror-like surface reflects and captures the monumental skyline of Downtown.

                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                This podcast discusses the downtown public library's past and present. The architecture is discussed, along with the public art collection both inside and outside the building.
                                            
                                        

Most of the buildings on or near the square were built in the 1920’s and early 1930’s, including the Biltmore Hotel, on the Southwest corner of 5th and Olive. As you stand in Pershing Square, look towards the intersection of 5th and Olive to view this grand historic structure. 

On the corner of Grand Central Market's parking structure is Tim Hawkinson's Inverted Clock Tower. The clock tower this artwork commemorates never actually existed; however, the brickwork and masonry of this fictitious clock tower are "recorded" by a mold made from the poured concrete walls and walkways of the new garage building.

                                            
                                            
                                            
                                                A discussion of Eric Orr's large sculpture "LA Prime Matter" is featured in this podcast. The name comes from the natural elements of survival, fire, and water, and his inspiration came from  visits to the cultic sites in Egypt and Zaire. 
                                            
                                        

On 350 E. First Street is "Senzo" a 20-foot tall photo-on-tile collage created by Jerry Matsukuma. The eight black-and-white images focus on the experiences of the first generation Japanese Americans. 

Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA) Compilation

PLAYLIST