First, let it be said that Los Angeles is a city of murals. And Angelinos love their local murals.
In Highland Park, Mexico-Tenochtitlan "The Wall That Talks", is one of the largest, and one of the most striking murals.
The Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles (MCLA) sets the date of its creation as 1996. If you'd have asked me, I've have said it's been there for 25 or 30 years. It is a fixture.
In recent years, however, "The Wall That Talks" has been marred by taggers.
And then along came ALZA. ALZA is a traveling sign painter. He sells local small business owners on the idea of creating signage for their businesses in a spray painted, grafitti style. EL CHAVO has documented some of ALZA's work here.
The thing about ALZA, he adds a little philosophy to many of his signs. Good, solid philosophy that you really can't argue with. Philosophy such as: "live to learn, learn 2 live", "respect your hood", and "art is the key".
ALZA decide to take matters into his own hands at "The Wall That Talks". He inscribed his message right on the mural. "Don't you care? Act like you care."
Waltrrrrr is enraged, and rightfully so. On, the one hand, I am also enraged, but, on the other hand, I sense ALZA's message in some strange way seems to belong there.
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Cheryl, This was interesting even so in the fact that your area treasures these murals. The few lovely ones that we have here have graffiti of the worst kind, and they don't get restored in any way. I believe this person is trying to do well but intruding on other people's work....maybe he just just make his own mural somewhere.
Art is in the eye of the viewer. If others feel compelled to add their words of expression and HE 'feels' the need to 're-word' their additions, then who is going to stop the next 'artist' from adding to the process. What was the intent of the original piece, is it for public participation, a living mural that is to change and grow with the society around it, or is it a shrine to a particular place and time and protected by those around it from the elements of nature and man. cheryl(not an artist) willis
Cheryl J, Thanks for the art lesson about Alza.. Very interesting, I kind of like his version but I know it makes you sick to see people destroy beautiful things.. What they meant for evil was turned around for good. God bless,
Hi Cheryl J - We don't have the same history of murals in our town, and I wish we did. We do have some terrific ocean murals in the nearby city of Portsmouth, NH. Murals seem to be a city thing and less common in towns - It's almost like you need a city to have enough people to appreciate a mural. I appreciate the sentiment about caring but I worry that it would spur more graffiti in response. It's a shame because it is a beautiful mural.