Socially Engaged Art: Art in Urban Community Green Spaces

Introduction

 

Spring 2019  

Sponsored by the Mary Pickford Foundation, this Designmatters studio teamed up ArtCenter students with high schoolers from the Ramona Gardens public housing development to create an art-filled event at Alvarez Park that would celebrate and connect the Boyle Heights community with its cultural and natural surroundings through projects that explore self-expression and ideas of environmental justice.

Collaborating with Legacy LA, a community-based nonprofit focused on youth development, the studio provided students with hands-on experience as they engaged in behind-the-scenes planning and execution to produce a socially engaged art event/project to their neighborhood. Additionally, students had opportunities to work side-by-side with representatives from North East Trees and Outward Bound Adventures on their cumulative project.

Project Brief

 
 

  

A continuation from previous Socially Engaged Art studios that connected ArtCenter students with developmentally disabled artists as well as underserved artists, this Designmatters studio focused on engaging ArtCenter students through a collaborative large-scale public art project with high schoolers from Ramona Gardens housing development who participate in the after-school programs at the nonprofit Legacy LA facility.

ArtCenter students teamed with the East Los Angeles youth for dialogue, participation, and action as they imagined, designed and created a community event at nearby Alvarez Park. Throughout the hands-on design process, they learned the intricacies of collaboration and proper planning; student teams ideated and executed real-world concepts that resonated with residents and inspired the neighborhood. At the afternoon celebration, student teams showcased various art installations and nature-themed interactions that engaged the local community.

Photo Credit: Jamonn Roberts

  

“So often, it’s easy to create art in a bubble, in a studio by yourself at a private school. The only true factor is what I bring to the table. It’s just my concept. But when you are in a socially engaged practice, like what we are doing here, we are trying to leave a lasting impact within the community. It can be a complicated endeavor, but today makes everything worth it.”

– Rueben Torrres, Student, ArtCenter

About Legacy LA

 
 

  

Founded in 2007, Legacy LA reaches out to youth living in Ramona Gardens and the surrounding neighborhoods by offering positive activities and alternatives to gangs and violence that has deeply affected this East Los Angeles community.

Through its ongoing programs and projects, including a leadership partnership with the LAPD as well as an afterschool mentoring and academic support, Legacy LA provides young people with the tools to transform their lives and their communities. Youth are engaged in social justice, community issues and organizing along with environmental justice and improving relations between youth and law enforcement.

Photo Credit: Jamonn Roberts

  

“The collaboration between the Legacy LA and ArtCenter students was great exposure for both groups. The Legacy LA youth were introduced to areas of environmental design, fine art, and other options that may be available to them at ArtCenter – this is something that would never have occurred to them. This studio is just the start of something really groundbreaking for everyone. I’m excited to see what this space can be transformed into.”

– Joseph Laskin, Projects and Development Manager for North East Trees

Research and Project Development

 
 

  

Photo Credit: Jamonn Roberts

  

“At first nobody [from Legacy LA] said they were interested in art. One person described putting objects together and decorating for fun for friends’ parties. But that is art; that is aesthetic and installation. As the studio went on, it turns out they are all into art. They are interested in gentrification, in ecology and how to uplift the green spaces around them because that will increase their quality of life. And those ideas ended up being a tool to get them into art. That became their way to express themselves.”

– Olga Koumoundouros, Faculty, ArtCenter 

Outcomes

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Viva La Loma! April 13, 2019
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At “Viva La Loma,” residents of Ramona Gardens and the surrounding neighborhood congregated at Alvarez Park (commonly known as La Loma Park), a long strip of green space that is hidden from the street. Among the trees and steep hills that border the park, participants were welcomed to the celebration with a DJ playing upbeat music on the basketball court.

Volunteers at a welcome booth gathered names and email addresses in exchange for tickets to use for a free dinner and as a raffle ticket for the gardening box. Children raced around the park, couples wandered from booth to booth, neighborhood dogs trotted the landscape and families chatted with one another on the warm spring day. The relaxed mood set the tone for the event that kicked-off with short speeches from stakeholders and leaders as well as comments from both Legacy LA and ArtCenter students. The rest of the late afternoon/early evening was spent enjoying the park, experiencing art and connecting with neighbors.

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Tunnel
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To welcome guests to the event, an archway was placed at the bottom of stairs. This PVC pipe creation was decorated with rippling ribbons.

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Gardening Box Raffle/Tomato Seedling Giveaways
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Constructed at the gardening workshop, one elevated wooden garden box was on display at the event alongside potting soil and other garden hand tools. At the end of the event, this prize was raffled off to a resident from the ticket they received at the welcome booth. Tomato seedlings, easily transportable in hand-folded biodegradable newspaper containers, were handed out to residents to encourage them to grow their own food. A short how-to manual was also distributed.

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Bench
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This eco-friendly bench – crafted out of durable resin and ornamented with native flower imprints – was on display at the event under the shade of a tree to encourage visitors to sit and reflect on the surrounding landscape.

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Plaster Painting
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Families and children crowded around the booth painting on plain plaster casts. This DIY project was a hands-on art experience for residents who used brightly colored paint for individual expression.

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Flags
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Residents were each invited to create two indigo tie-dye flags, one which would be taken home and one left fluttering in the park with other creations. Indigo is one of the oldest dyes known and a number of cultures employ it in their crafts and art. Residents used rubber bands to wrap around the folded piece of fabric and then soak the pieces in a bucket of dye. When done, the flags were drying on nearby large sheets of plastic.

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Podcast Interviews
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Sharing stories of Ramona Gardens, audio podcasts captured the memories from old-timers as well as the hopes and dreams of youth who live in and around the housing development. At the event, residents were encouraged to stop and share their own personal reflections.

Next Steps

 
 

  

To build on the foundation and relationships created at this studio, the Pickford Foundation has plans to support a future extension of the studio in Fall 2019.

Photo Credit: Jamonn Roberts

  

“I do not live at Ramona Gardens, but I have lots of friends here. It’s a place to come and have fun and feel like a family. Where I live, I don’t have a lot of fun. But here is a community where you can make friends, engage with everyone, and talk to someone about a problem. Today was about bringing the community together for a peaceful, fun day at the park.”

– Sandra Flores, Legacy LA Youth

  

“There is such a need for these big bonding experiences. This is what builds community, builds trust and keeps us engaged and allows for sustainable movements to continue.”

– Jacquelyne Rodriguez, Legacy LA

 
Legacy LAMary Pickford FoundationNorth East TreesOutward Bound Adventures