Public Art in Western/Arlington Heights

Public Art in Western/Arlington Heights

By Nancy Pelico

The Site

    The site I decided to write about was the Western/Arlington Heights area of Los Angeles, due to its significance in my life. Growing up, my family and I moved around quite a bit, but we always stayed in the same area: Western and Arlington Heights. I grew up knowing the different streets and landmarks of the area, usually consisting of murals/graffiti. Though some of the murals have been replaced throughout the years, this neighborhood has been no stranger to art and graffiti. Most of the murals found in this neighborhood are usually created by L.A. natives, often creating work that reflects the diverse identities of Los Angeles. 

    Both areas have a deep history and work to improve the quality of life and support the diversity found within each. A majority of the murals found within the community include cultural images, pop culture illustrations, and religious symbols, etc.

Field Work 

The first work of art I decided to observe was a mural painted by Sonji Art, on 2460 W Washington Blvd. Sonji is a Central American artist who was raised in Los Angeles. Since 2002, she has been sharing her art with the public through galleries and public art forms, creating art that promotes community involvement, education, and awareness. With this piece, she painted a mural that reflected the hispanic community and culture found within the Western/Arlington area. This theme/representation can be seen with the phrase “Todos somos semillas,” translating to “We are all seeds,” or even through the watermelon, which could be a nod to street vendor culture commonly found within the latino community. With this mural, it is clear that Sonji painted this mural with the intention to nourish the hispanic audience, and to inspire them to keep growing as people and as a community. 

    The next work of art I decided to observe was another mural painted by Gustavo Zermeno Jr, which can be found at 1848 Arlington Ave. Zermeno is a Los Angeles based artist, raised in Venice, California. The inspiration for a majority of Zermeno’s work derives from things like sports, music, the city, etc. Zermeno works with the community and actively gives back resources to vulnerable communities throughout the city. This mural is a prime example of the kind of art he makes. In this mural, Zermeno depicts many professional athletes that are either born/raised in LA or that play for LA teams, as well as a few mentions of famous rappers as well. This mural caters specifically to Los Angeles sports fanatics that hold Los Angeles teams/athletes close to their hearts/identity. For many in L.A., this includes teams like the Dodgers, the Lakers, the Kings, etc. Regardless of whether or not one may be in tune with sports culture, teams like these give a sense of community/city pride for many.

    For this mural in particular, the artist is unknown but the mural can be found at 1912 S Gramercy Pl. There is no identifying name that is found within the piece and I was not able to decipher the lettering within the piece. Nonetheless, the piece was created mainly with spray paint and features a mix of lettering/graffiti and portraits of the Joker, a villain created by DC comics. The artist made sure to utilize all of the space provided on the wall, creating a continuous and cohesive mural that spans from the start of the block, to the end of the building. In a city like L.A., references to pop culture/mainstream media can be found consistently throughout the city and can take many forms. With how popular this character is in particular, connections individuals can have with this mural can span across generations (ie. from children to older adults). 

    I picked this piece in particular not because of what is being represented, but from the location. For as long as I have grown up in this area, this wall was repainted by various graffiti artists throughout the years. I always passed by this same wall while going to the market, school, liquor store, etc. Now as an adult, I constantly pass by it while headed to work/campus, always noticing that it's still there, and wondering what mural could take its place next. 

Critical Analysis

    Based on the works found within the community, the common themes being found/represented are themes of cultural identity, city spirit/representation, and overall creative expression. Rather than sending a direct message to the community, a majority of the murals display a general interest the community may have, thus, creating community spirit in the process. However, there are some murals, like the one created by Sonji, that portray a cultural message that is made to empower communities and their identities. Because of the vast interests and cultural values of the Western/Arlington Heights community, murals can vary with the content being displayed. 

    For the most part, this community has always had murals/graffiti upon walls for decades. While some artworks have changed over time, graffiti and murals have been engrained into the community for years. But who funds or decides the art? While the artist may have creative freedom, restrictions on where this art is placed is very likely. Because these chosen murals are tied to the walls of a nearby business, it is likely that the business commissioned the artist. For instance, the mural created by Zermeno was commissioned directly by the business that occupied the building at the time. However, for works like the second and third, it is likely that they asked for permission from the nearby businesses. However, there really is no definitive answer to determine this, and it is also very likely that they decided to take the risk and paint the mural with no permission at all. However, the fact that these murals continue to stay up means that they are now embedded into the everyday lives of the community. 

Proposal

    Overall, I feel like the artworks I see in my community become easily embedded in our everyday lives. Some murals within the community become hidden gems based on the placement/location of the artwork. Though there are many murals/graffiti artworks along the walls of Arlington/Western, they are starting to slowly be painted over and scrapped due to new businesses running the area, or due to processes like gentrification. As a result, there are now more restrictions to the kind of art being created for the area. 

    Something I would propose as a result of this would be to have designated mural areas, in order to preserve public art in the community. An example of this process would be the Calwa Park Art Wall in Fresno, CA. For a small fee, graffiti artists can register to paint on a portion of select walls, and are painted over once all slots are filled. I think incorporating this kind of system is beneficial to maintain art for the public, and can increase community spirit/pride by encouraging artists to make art that embodies the values of the community. Having guidelines such as not painting anything that promotes drugs/alcohol, violence, or sexual images is also something to consider due to the neighboring audience. Overall, maintaining art within this site is significant to the longstanding history of mural design/graffiti in the Western/Arlington area. 

Works Cited

Art, Sonji. “Home.” Welcome to my World – Concrete Indigenous. https://sonjiart.wordpress.com. Accessed 9 April 2026.

Zermeno Jr., Gustavo. “Gustavo Zermeno Jr.” GZ.JR. https://gzjr.org. Accessed 9 April 2026.

Calwa Recreation and Park District. “The Calwa Park Art Wall.” Calwa Recreation, https://www.calwarecreation.org/the-calwa-park-art-wall. Accessed 9 April 2026.