Recently, Metro Art installed a new artwork by Metro-commissioned artist Mara Lonner at the future Martin Luther King Jr. Station on the Crenshaw/LAX Line.

The artwork, titled Leimert Park Landscape, is integrated into the glass pavilion entryway of the future station. The translucent panels catch the sunlight as it shines through images of familiar local landmarks that share histories through architecture, landscaping and signs.

As a former long-time resident of Leimert Park, artist Mara Lonner drew inspiration and imagery from local stories told by neighbors and community members. Japanese-influenced landscaping, weathervanes, stained-glass windows, sculpted trees, and the architectural ornamentation from local residences are rendered in overlapping translucent colored layers. The artwork also includes iconic signage and references to neighborhood locations that hold personal and historical significance, including West Los Angeles Church of God in Christ, Crenshaw Square, the Holiday Bowl and Grace Pastries.

Check out some photos below and learn more about the artwork here.

Weathervane imagery from nearby homes overlaps with signage from the Holiday Bowl, a local bowling alley and diner known for its key role in desegregation as a community space that brought people of diverse racial backgrounds together from the late 1950s through early 2000s.

The artwork features signage from Grace Pastries, originally called Grace Pastry Shoppe, a specialty cake shop founded by George and Grace Izumi that once was located at the end of the Yellow Car line at Jefferson and Crenshaw. The bakery served the community for nearly 40 years and holds significant memories for many who grew up in the area.

Learn more about the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project Art Program here.

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