We spent a morning in the Arts District on a recent visit to Los Angeles. It’s home to lots and lot of street art and graffiti art, like this massive “MSK” tag throw-up. Graffiti has always been a hallmark of the neighborhood.
Until about a decade ago, it was mostly an industrial warehouse area on the eastern side of Downtown L.A. But a formidable wave of gentrification, including new residential and commercial property development, has gradually transformed the district into a fashionable home for major art galleries, offices for the creative and entertainment industries, tech start-ups, high-profile restaurants and cafes, and new architectural and entrepreneurial visions.
And it has enhanced the curb appeal of adjacent legacy industries in area such as fashion and film production. International art-world stalwarts liken the Hauser & Wirth gallery and dedicated museum-like exhibition spaces such as the I.C.A. have hung our their shingles here.
But still the graffiti remains. Actually it has exploded along with street art in general. With gentrification, the Arts District’s streets have become an even bigger, better canvas for bold visual artwork.
GLOBAL GRAPHICA 