The Great Wall of LA
SPARC
The construction of The Great Wall of LA began in 1974 in the Tujunga Flood Control Channel of the San Fernando Valley and was completed over five summers. The Great Wall is a representation of the history of ethnic peoples of California from prehistoric times up until the 1950s, designed by SPARC’S artistic director, Judith F. Baca. The project employed 400 students and their families from a range of socio-economic backgrounds. The youth and their families worked with artists, ethnologists, oral historians, scholars, and hundreds of members of the surrounding community. This project enabled these diverse youth to work in a unified effort and feel a sense of pride. After completion, the wall is half a mile long and 13 feet high, making it the longest mural in the world. with a park and bike trail along the way, and is one of the country’s largest monuments to “inter-racial harmony.” (SPARC) It is vibrant and colorful, reflecting the tradition of Mexican muralists such as Orozco and Rivera. (Latina POV)
More important than its aesthetics is the story it tells. The wall is a long narrative of the different history of California than is normally told in textbooks; one of ethnic peoples, Mexican-Americans, Chinese-Americans, Japanese-Americans, African-Americans, gays and lesbians, and women. A new decade of history was installed each summer, beginning with the 20’s and ending with the 50’s. Some of its images include those of Spanish colonialism, the Mexican Republic, and the U.S conquest and rule in present times. Baca stated “ [p]erhaps the most overwhelming to me about the Great Wall experience has been learning of the courage of individuals in history who endured, spoke out, and overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles.” (Latina POV) One of the main objectives of the wall was to use art to educate people and to make community members proud by publicizing their often ignored and overlooked history. Thousands of visitors come very year to visit the site, “providing a lasting tribute to the working people of California who have truly shaped its history.” (Latina POV)
Sources
Baca, Judith F. "The Great Wall of Los Angeles." SPARCinLA RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2015.
"“The Great Wall of Los Angeles”: A View of California’s Past." Latina Point of View. Wordpress, n.d. Web. 14 May 2015.
Baca, Judith F. "The Great Wall of Los Angeles." SPARCinLA RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2015.
"“The Great Wall of Los Angeles”: A View of California’s Past." Latina Point of View. Wordpress, n.d. Web. 14 May 2015.