Los Angeles’ cultural spotlight shines this Saturday on Wilshire Boulevard as LACMA celebrates the opening of the new David Geffen Galleries with a Block Party and Art Parade. The all-day event will transform nearly a mile of Wilshire into a celebration of art, music, performance and community—and Metro Art will be right in the middle of it.
The event brings together more than 1,400 artists, performers, dancers, students and community members for one of the most ambitious public art celebrations the city has seen in years. Better yet, Metro’s D Line delivers visitors directly to the festivities.
Pro tip: Take the D Line to Wilshire/Fairfax Station and walk straight into the celebration. No parking hunt. No traffic stress. Just art.
All aboard the Metro Art Bus
Parked along Wilshire Boulevard throughout the day, the Metro Art Bus brings a museum experience to the street. The exhibition transforms a Metro bus into a rolling gallery featuring large-scale portraits of riders by local artists on the exterior of the bus and even more inside the bus. The Metro Art Bus is a reminder that some of LA’s most compelling stories are already riding alongside us.
The celebration continues underground
While LACMA’s Block Party takes over the boulevard above, Metro Art invites visitors to discover the artworks waiting just below the surface at Wilshire/Fairfax Station.
Free, guided art tours throughout the day will highlight three newly unveiled commissions created specifically for the station:
- Karl Haendel’s Hands and Things features larger-than-life drawings that encourage riders to slow down and take a closer look at the everyday objects that shape our lives.
- Ken Gonzales-Day’s Urban Excavation… is an expansive glass-tile mural inspired by objects from LACMA’s collection and the rich layers of cultural history embedded beneath Wilshire Boulevard.
- Susan Silton’s WE,OUR,US explores language, identity, and shared public space through vibrant text presented in English, Korean, and Spanish.
Tour Details:
- Meet at the Metro Art table, located at the street level entrance to Wilshire/Fairfax Station
- Tours start at 11a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. and last approximately 20 minutes
- Special collector item Art on TAP card will be provided
Whether you’re coming for the Art Parade, exploring the new David Geffen Galleries or simply looking for a reason to ride the D Line, make Metro Art part of the experience.
About Metro Art
Metro Art enhances the customer experience with innovative, award-winning visual and performing arts that encourages ridership and connects people, neighborhoods and destinations throughout L.A. County. A diverse range of site-specific artworks are integrated into the growing Metro system, improving the quality of transit environments, and creating a sense of place. Follow Metro Art on Facebook, Instagram and Threads. Sign up for the Metro Art email list to learn about upcoming art opportunities, events and exhibitions!
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