Civic Engagement Project - Highland Park, CA
Civic Engagement Project - Highland Park, CA ART 3170: Whose City? Public Art, Power, and Representation in Los Angeles By Zoe Sanchez Phase 1: The site - Highland Park, CA I chose Highland Park because it is where I was born and raised. That being said, I've grown up surrounded by murals and plenty of public art here, on walls, in alleys, under bridges, and I've always noticed how each one says something about the neighborhood. Some of the murals are decades old, created by Chicano artists who used art to express cultural pride and community memory. Others are more recent, painted on the sides of new cafes or shops that have appeared as the area changes. Highland Park has a long history as one of the oldest neighborhoods in Los Angeles, with deep Latino and working-class roots. But in recent years, it became a site of rapid gentrification, and I have come to realize that the art has started to reflect that transformation. The mix of old and new murals, sometimes clashing, som...
