August 15, 2013
Local News & Culture Marina del Rey
Westchester
Free S a n ta M o n i c a
P l aya d e l R e y
P l aya V i s t a
M a r V i s ta
Del Rey
VenicE
Photo by Jorge M. Vargas, Jr.
DOES THIS LOOK LIKE A SIGN?
The Los Angeles City Council will vote Tuesday, Aug. 20 on a citywide mural ordinance. Existing law makes no difference between murals and signs. Shown is the mural Touch of Venice on Windward Avenue.
L.A. City Council to vote on mural ordinance; local boards seek exceptions
By Gary Walker Years in the making, a final version of a long-awaited mural ordinance is at last slated to come before the Los Angeles City Council Tuesday, Aug. 20. While there are hundreds of supporters of a citywide law that will clarify the definition between art and commercial signage and who would like to see Los Angeles once again become “the mural capital of the world,” the council will almost certainly hear from community representatives who want restrictions on where these colorful art pieces can be placed. The new ordinance would remove the existing moratorium on murals in public areas, would distinguish art from signs and would allow neighborhood councils the ability to weigh in on proposed art in residential zones. The Neighborhood Council of Westchester-Playa held a special meeting to address the ordinance Aug. 6 and voted against lifting the moratorium. If city leaders choose to remove it, the local council has indicated it would prefer not allowing murals in residential neighborhoods. “The neighborhood council opposes ending the moratorium but, if ended, supports the city attorney’s Option B of the draft ordinance with conditions and that the (Neighborhood Council of Westchester-Playa) reserves the right to bring to committee for proper vetting and review if (Continued on page 12)
Let’s get physical – and cultural Venice zipline project combines amusement park-style thrill with performing and fine arts By Michael Aushenker The city of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks has found a unique way to raise money for Venice’s beachfront sanitation services –and cultivate some culture in the process – by partnering with the private sector. A zipline ride installed last month has not only provided a new activity for locals and tourists to tackle beachside, its ancillary projects have been furthering Venice’s arts scene, among them murals by local artists and a dance and acrobatic student show held earlier this month. Initiated by Greenheart Conservation Company/ Flightlinez, a Canadian company creating and operating conservation-based canopy walkways and other naturebased aerial attractions globally (including in the Amazon
and Africa), Venice Beach’s zipline finally took flight mid-July after some delay. “Venice is an ideal location,” Greenheart President and Co-Founder Ian Green told The Argonaut from his Vancouver offices. “It has that performance base and that history with (the boardwalk and the Pacific Ocean Park of yesteryear), the street performers. The only thing we thought would be beneficial was how would we create more of an artistic space?” Venice-based artist Hans Walor curated the zipline tower-adorning murals, created by local artists (including Walor). Among those painters are Gianni Arone, Alex and Christopher Couto, Hans Haveron, Lindsay Carron, Chase, Asylm, Chris Saunders and Joseph Skala. The Venetian artist was the logical choice since
An Aug. 10 aerial performance by local high school stu(Continued on page 30) dents is one of several arts-related projects devised by the people behind Venice Beach’s new zipline attraction.