MURALIST ART ACTIVIST LEGEND KENT TWITCHELL

Q & A WITH
MURALIST ART ACTIVIST LEGEND KENT TWITCHELL WITH HELP FROM ISABEL ROJAS WILLIAMS OF MURAL CONSERVANCY LA KENT TWITCHELL MAKES SOME COMPREHENSIVE POINTS FOR LA MURALIST NOW THAT THE BAN HAS BEEN LIFTED.

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT THE MURAL BAN BEING LIFTED?
KENT T: Now that there is no threat of jail or high fines when painting murals, artists will be able to take their time to create murals that will make L.A. proud.

WHAT KIND OF INFLUENCE TO YOU THINK LOS ANGELES MURALS HAVE HAD ON THE REST OF THE WORLD?
KENT T: Murals were naturally here in LA because of the ‘60s, the weather and the very creative artists living here, many who moved here from the midwest and elsewhere. Many of us just took to the streets in the ‘60s and a few of us are still doing it. Due to the worldwide interest in all things LA, there is media here from everywhere and our early murals, which we spent a lot of time creating as beautifully as we could, would always get picked up internationally. I believe that is why LA influenced the street art movement worldwide. Street art is as natural to LA as jazz to New Orleans. Other cities later started doing the mural thing but the movement started here. That is why we were always considered the Mural Capital of the World.
“With the return of freedom that can all happen again in time.”

HOW MUCH MONEY IS THERE OUT THERE FOR MURALS AND MURALIST IN LA?
KENT T: $750,000 (half of what Mayor Villaraigosa included in his last budget) was allocated (by City Council) to DCA for a City-Wide Mural Program (the other $750,000 will be allocated to DCA once the first phase of the project is finished). Since MCLA helped write and pass the mural ordinance, helped established Mural Day, and lobbied for this funding to be allocated to DCA, it’s our hope the funding will be distributed fairly among the organizations that worked so hard to be where we are today, in particular MCLA.

TELL ME ABOUT MCLA’S
MISSION?
KENT T: MCLA’s mission since its 1987 foundation, is to restore, preserve, and document the murals of L.A. We have restored innumerable iconic murals throughout greater L.A. (Boyle Heights, Mid City, San Fernando Valley, South Central L.A.) on a shoe-string budget. This includes the historic 1984 Olympic Freeway Murals on the 101 Freeway. By being truthful to our mission, we pride ourselves about the mural legacy we are leaving to generations to come.

SO WHAT’S
NEXT FOR MCLA?
KENT T: In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Olympic Freeway murals and their restoration, MCLA is having a Commemorative event at Pico House on August 24 honoring these artworks and the ten muralists that painted them. On October 5, we’ll be celebrating Mural Day at El Pueblo and La Casa de Cultura y Artes.

WHAT ELSE IS NEEDED?
KENT T: As a non-profit, we rely on the generosity of the community at-large. We can’t do this alone. We need everyone’s help to move forward in making L.A. one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the world.

DO YOU INVISION THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES SOMEDAY COVERED IN MURALS?
KENT T: Personally I do not think that bigger is better or that more is better. So many walls are beautiful just as they are. Some have palm trees in front that cast shadows, others are just plain. There shouldn’t be murals on every wall. Also artists should care enough about the public viewers to do his/her very best work. A mural isn’t meant to be merely a sketch or a rough. People will have to live with it. As public artists we need to care enough about the public to do our very best, even if that means we take longer than planned.

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY FOR AN ARTIST TO PROTECT THEIR MURAL?
KENT T: Now that murals are legal again in L.A., artists should consider registering their murals with DCA to have them protected by the city.

Also artists should care enough about the public viewers to do his/her very best work.

“A mural isn’t meant to be merely a sketch or a rough. People will have to live with it.”

As public artists we need to care enough about the public to do our very best, even if that means we take longer than planned.