Artists Kuniharu Yoshida and Susu Attar, along with the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) and Metro Art, are creating temporary construction banner artworks for the Metro Center Project site in the Arts District in downtown Los Angeles. The artists are asking community members from neighborhoods in Central L.A. to “empty their cup” and take part in arts activities through May 13.
On April 29, the artists held a workshop via Zoom that guided attendees through the art activities and reflections included in the packet. Designed in an approachable way, the activities allowed people to tap into their creative brains while expressing themselves through color and line – an antidote to the structured digital meeting environment.
Screenshots from the artist-led community engagement workshop for the temporary construction banner artwork at the future Metro Central project.
If you missed the workshop – or enjoyed it and would like to share these activities with friends – you are in are in luck! The artists created a free, printable packet that invites participants of all ages to partake in these activities. The packet is available for download from JACCC’s website.
Share your artworks, written reflections, and experiences by May 13 to help inspire the temporary construction banner artwork! Tag activity responses on social media with #discoverJACCC. For more information on how to submit, visit the JACCC website.
Submitted responses may inspire a virtual story-sharing or reposting. Images and stories shared will be available to the artists, JACCC, Metro staff, and the public.
Next up: the artists, led by JACCC, will design original, large-scale artwork to be installed on vinyl banners at the project site along Center Street during the construction period.
JACCC and the artists were selected for this temporary construction phase artwork opportunity through a community-based process that included an open call, outreach to local organizations and a selection panel of arts and culture professionals with connections to the project area.
Kuniharu Yoshida is a Japanese Calligrapher, Hip-hop dancer, teacher and is 1/4th of the concept-art collective In the Attic, based in Little Tokyo.
Susu Attar is a multimedia artist, born in Baghdad and raised and based in Los Angeles, who leads viewers on searches for moments of empathy and transformation.
JACCC is one of the largest ethnic arts and cultural centers of its kind in the US. It is a hub for Japanese and Japanese American arts and culture and a community gathering place for the diverse voices it inspires. Read more about JACCC at jaccc.org or the artists through the project page.
In addition to construction banners, an integrated artwork by Jacob Hashimoto is commissioned for the Metro Center project site. Learn about that artist and artwork here.
For questions about the Metro Center Project, please contact centralLAprojects@metro.net or 213-922-6913
Click here for information about Metro’s art program. You can also follow Metro Art on Instagram, Facebook, and at #MetroArtLA.
Categories: Metro Art