August 06, 2006
Olvera Street Mural Unveiled
First hidden behind a layer of paint and then a piece of plywood, the renowned and controversial 1932 David Siqueiros mural on a rooftop on Olvera Street will once again be open to the public.
"All it took was 74 years of arguments, nearly two decades of negotiations between public and private officials and $8 million. It is scheduled to be visible by 2009."
"Siqueiros' "América Tropical," an 80-by-18-foot mural, is hidden on the top of Olvera Street's Italian Hall, barely visible from the street. It portrays a crucified Indian peasant on a double cross with an American eagle on top, Siqueiros' symbolic depiction of what he viewed as the United States' oppressive imperialism. The mural was whitewashed soon after Siqueiros painted it, and it remained covered for decades."
"At a press conference last Wednesday, officials announced that the city will allot $3.87 million in bond money and other funds to the project. The Getty Foundation, which has worked since 1988 to get municipal support for the preservation of the mural, will provide a $3.95 million grant."
"The money will go toward building a sun shelter around the mural, a viewing platform and a bridge from the rooftop of an adjacent building for public access. It will also add an educational center in the nearby Sepulveda House focusing on the mural's history. Actual preservation of the artwork has already begun."
Source: L.A. Downtown News, New Life for Olvera Street Mural by by Kathleen Nye Flynn
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