Artwork Detail

Twelve stone pyramids are situated in the main plaza of the East Los Angeles Civic Center across from the Superior Courts Building. The twelve pyramids are made of two shades of travertine stone, Desert Gold and Persian Red. They are arranged in a square with the red sculptures placed at the four cardinal points. Symbols representing natural elements and important life guiding principles are carved into the stone. The work was designed to create a focal point for the Civic Center, a multifunctional space. The plaza functions as a quiet space as well as a space for meetings, rallies, concerts and ceremonies. Arreola says the stepped forms and their grid-like placement were intended to be “a memory in form” of the indigenous architecture of Mexico, in particular that of the Aztecs and Mayans. In the artist's proposal: "I am proposing an artwork that will bring focus to the central area of the main plaza. I've designed simple stepped seating structures/sculptural forms that will be placed in a circle within the plaza. They will create a space that can be used for quiet sitting as well as function as sculptural form for creating space. It was also developed to create a meeting or ceremonial space that can be used for celebrations, rallies, music, etc.

Los Angeles native Linda Arreola has lived in the El Sereno area all her life. Her artistic practice includes sculpture, painting, printmaking, and installation art. She received a BA and a MA in Sculpture from California State University Los Angeles and also holds a MA in Architecture from UCLA. She has been a practicing artist for over thirty years and her work has been included in exhibitions at Self-Help Graphics and the UCLA Armand Hammer Museum.