The mission of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture is to advance arts, culture, and creativity throughout LA County. We fulfill our mission by providing services and support in areas including grants and technical assistance for nonprofit organizations; professional development opportunities; commissioning civic artworks and managing the County’s civic art collection; implementing countywide arts education initiatives; research and evaluation; career pathways in the creative economy; free community programs; and cross sector creative strategies that address civic issues. This work is framed by the County’s Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative and a longstanding commitment to fostering access to the arts.
El Movimiento (The Movement) reflects the progression of a day in Florence-Firestone, from sunrise on the east end of the wall to sunset on the west. With over 70,000 people living in the 3.6 square mile area, Florence Avenue is one of eight primary east-west thoroughfares in Florence-Firestone. The energy of motorists, bus commuters and Metro Blue Line rail riders moving in and out of the area is depicted in the artwork’s flowing lines. The lush oranges and blues reflect the community’s vibrancy while connecting viewers to the adjacent mural located on the façade of Florence Library by artist Ernesto de la Loza.
The mural wall faces north, and its length runs from east to west. This was also the orientation for every major pre-Columbian city in North and South America; built to reflect the movement of the sun on an east-west axis. The half-unearthed sun and moon represent the progress of the redevelopment and construction efforts currently underway in the community. The artwork also incorporates two powder-coated arched aluminum sculptures fastened directly to the wall. Three A-shaped symbols, a pre-Columbian sign for movement and light, decorate the top of both arches. A poem by writer Celedonio Junco de la Vega etched within the arch in English and Spanish reads, Songbird: You distance yourself from golden bars. And to the choir you leave complaints and cries. That your voice now free may vibrate. Your wings a gala in the wind.
About the Artist:
As a native Californian, Oscar Magallanes was brought up in Duarte, just a few miles from the Azusa barrio. His artwork is heavily influenced by the cultural and social elements of his upbringing. He recalls, the first art I saw were murals of Zapata and Mexican glyphs from the Chicano movement. These were juxtaposed next to homeboy role calls and Old English writing. I didn’t see a gallery or museum until I was 15.
Magallanes founded the design firm Arango Designs in 2007 based on the principle of education and empowerment through art and design. He is on the boards of Ryman Arts, Self-Help Graphics & Art and Inner-City Arts. He has been commissioned by the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs, the Los Angeles Mayor’s office and the Cesar Chavez Foundation.
Magallanes has curated, guest curated and co-curated exhibitions at Pomona Arts Colony and Self-Help Graphics & Art. He continues to create and exhibit his artwork from his studio in Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles. To learn more about his work, please visit www.oscarmagallanes.com.
