People on a graffiti mural tour.

Visual Thinking tours Graffiti/Murals of downtown L.A.

I wanted my VISUAL THINKING students to see the remarkable Graffiti / Murals of DTLA, but first, we stopped at MOCA Geffen for an unusual exhibit by an ‘up and coming’ artist from Argentina.
Adrian Villar Rojas created an installation in the museum called, The Theater of Disappearance. The space formerly called the Temporary Contemporary was very dimly lit, except for refrigerated cases containing elaborate assemblages of organic material, marine life mixed in with man-made objects, like a day-glow orange running shoe.

Next, a 15-minute walk to the start of our Graffiti / Mural tour with LA Art Tours. I arranged a private tour for the students, at a modest fee. They were very helpful customizing the route and length of the tour, so we would end up back at MOCA.

The guides are excellent, artists who have been painting in the streets for decades. Our guide, Galo, was no exception. What I like best is that he shared his opinions about works that had the highest quality, and was able to tell the story of what it was like in the early days, often painting compelling images without asking anyone’s permission.

What a difference the years have made. The Los Angeles Graffiti and Mural scene- especially in Downtown LA- has been undergoing a renaissance the past few years, fueled by an absolutely amazing cadre of local artists, joined by some of the best from around the globe.

Everyone had a chance to ask questions about elements of the work that interested them. We learned about the aesthetics of Graffiti work which is text-based, compared to mural work which is full of images.

Galo was able to explain the mastery required to make perfect arcs, straight lines, and crisp edges, with no rulers or stencils. He pointed out the sort of work done by “Toys” (beginners lacking in skill). In contrast, the masterful work done by artists with exceptional “Can Control.”

Can Control: spray paint without stencils, tape or rulers.

Graffiti glossary: we learned the difference between “Bombing,” and a “Throw-up.”

About Visual Thinking/Art 350: I’ve taught a class in contemporary art culture, and enhanced self-expression for 19 years at Loyola Marymount University. What is remarkable, is that my students, who in addition to the Arts, are business, science, entrepreneurship and psychology majors, produce high-quality artwork unique to each participant in the course.