Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León (District 14) and the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) on March 1 announced the five top finalists for the Little Tokyo Community Public Art project to be located at Alameda and Second Street.
A final selection for the art proposals will be part of a virtual community presentation on March 17. A panel of peer experts will make a final review on March 22-24. The public can access the virtual community meeting at www.culturela.org.
The Little Tokyo Public Art Project finalists are:
o Art of Development
o Hikaru Hayakawa
o Kipp Kobayashi
o Meeson Pae Yang
o Oblique Labs LLC
“I’m thrilled that we have reached this exciting milestone for the Little Tokyo Public Art Project,” said de León. “These finalists truly represent some of the most talented artists around and their submissions truly capture Little Tokyo’s historic contributions in shaping not only this community but the rest of Los Angeles in all its vast diversity.”
The intersection at Alameda and Second is a major transit corridor and thoroughfare connecting neighborhoods throughout DTLA. The area is recognized as the gateway to the neighborhood with multiple access points to Little Tokyo.
“Little Tokyo represents a unique and rich cultural history of the City of Los Angeles, and the Department of Cultural Affairs supports the community’s investment to improve the experience for residents and visitors,” said Daniel Tarica, DCA Interim general manager. “We are especially grateful for our partnership with the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, who partnered with the city to further our community participation throughout every phase of this process.”
The project budget is $250,000 and includes the total expenses for the artwork, including the design, fabrication, lighting, artists’ fees, and installation.