The San Pedro Waterfront Arts District, in collaboration with the Council District 15 Office of Joe Busciano and the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, is excited to announce a mural award of $32,000 to PacArts artist Luis Sanchez. The mural award is part of the City of Los Angeles’ One Percent for the Arts Funding, negotiated by the Council 15 Office. The mural (see rendering above) will be painted on the east wall of 454 West 6th Street in the newly renovated Lilyan Fierman Walkway, connecting 6th street with the municipal parking lot on 5th street.
Born in Mexico City, Luis Sanchez is a fine art painter, sculptor, and muralist, and painted one of the eleven DOT boxes on Harbor Boulevard. He has been a self-employed artist for over twenty-years, exhibiting painting, sculpture in at Premio Bugatti, Italy, the Los Angeles Art Show, Art Basel, Miami, and many other galleries, residential, and commercial commissions in a wide range from decorative to trompe l’ oeil. Luis notes, “When looking at the history of our historic theatre, its incredible design and history, I wanted to show a tale of past, present, music, dance, movement, celebration of the arts, as well as the diverse culture of San Pedro. I also used some of the applied design aspects from the interior of the Warner Grand.”
The Pac Arts Gallery will be hosting a solo exhibition of Luis Sanchez’ work entitled, “Nu Landscape,” to coincide with the mural award on November 3rd (FIRST THURSDAY) at the Pac Arts Gallery. The Opening Reception will start at 6 p.m. and the Gallery is located at 303 South Pacific Avenue in San Pedro in our Pacific Avenue Arts Colony.
Luis will begin painting the mural in mid-October with an expected completion by mid-December. The public is invited to the Lilyan Fierman walkway to view the mural progress and the Arts District is planning an unveiling party with the Council Office.
To celebrate their first major mural commission, the San Pedro Waterfront Arts District is sponsoring the following films and activities during the upcoming San Pedro International Film Festival – spiff.org – on October 6-16th, presented at various venues throughout San Pedro:
- The festival kicks off on October 6th during San Pedro’s First Thursday Artwalk presenting an art exhibition (at the old Threads of Time space) in conjunction with the documentary Dark Progressivism, directed by Rodrigo Ribera d’Ebre, the renowned author/historian of urban studies, culture and art in Los Angeles. The film covers LA’s history of murals, tagging and street art born during the urban upheaval of the 80s and 90s.
- Dark Progressivism screens on October 15th at 5:30pm as part of an evening of programming presented with the San Pedro Waterfront Arts District in the historical elegance of the Warner Grand Theatre.
- Also on Saturday, October 15th, a screening of Playing Lecuona follows Dark Progressivism – the stunning documentary film exploring Cuban pianist & composer Ernesto Lecuona’s influence through the lens of three of the maestro’s most well-known jazz pianist descendants: Chucho Valdés, son of renowned bandleader and composer Bebo Valdés; Gonzalo Rubalcaba, a Cuban from the generation after Chucho; and the Dominican Michel Camilo. The evening concludes with a VIP reception.
- Art Workshop with Jose ‘Prime’ Reza, international tattoo artist David ‘Big Sleeps’ Cavazos, Rodrigo Ribera d’Ebre and other guest artists at Machine Studio (http://machineartshop.com/) in downtown San Pedro on Sunday, October 16th, 2016 at 11:00am. Learn the history behind street lettering and calligraphy, its evolution, and its global influence. Practice techniques, styles, and colors, and take home a collaborative piece of art. Machine Studio is located at 387 W. 6th Street, in San Pedro.
- GATHERING OF SAN PEDRO’S CREATIVE TRIBE – Sunday October 16th, 4pm to 6pm at the Warner Grand
This panel of professionals from film, technology, industrial design, music, theater, education, and art for a town-hall conversation will gather to discuss how we can both cultivate our town’s youth — and attract innovative professionals to San Pedro. Our goal is to of develop our downtown into one of the great creative corridors of Los Angeles. All current and future leaders, innovators, and big thinkers are encouraged to attend.
[Hat tip to Helene Weinberg, EngAGE Creative Programs Director, and Linda Grimes, Managing Director, San Pedro Waterfront Arts District, for this info.]
