THE VENICE MOSAIC EGGS CORNER PARK PROJECT Text from LA Beautification Grant - Funded January 2008 |
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| The Venice Mosaic Eggs Corner Park Project is a hands-on neighborhood project to turn an unsightly prominent street corner in Venice into a beautiful and safe green space with inviting sculptural seating for all to enjoy. Our project will be created by neighborhood volunteers, our Venice based artist and landscapers, “at risk” children and adults and several Venice community organizations. THE SITE: Until last year, the site was illegally enclosed by the adjacent property owner, with an unsightly chain link fence and tarp. It was a dangerous blind intersection; the site of several bike/pedestrian/car accidents, (including Kitty Tugend, one of our neighbors and the owner of a Tugend Tile shop in Venice). It is a street corner on a major artery of Venice: Venice Boulevard. It is across from the Venice Public Library, the weekly Farmers Market, and a neighborhood grocery. It is the ingress to the Venice Canals and Silver Triangle residential neighborhoods and passed by commuters to Marina del Rey. The location has a great deal of automobile, bicycle, stroller, and neighborhood pedestrian traffic. |
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THREE VIEWS BEFORE BEAUTIFICATION |
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BEAUTIFICATION:
With the help of the City Council Office, (and thereby several City
bureaus), the site is now open to the public. The adjacent property
owner has moved his fence to the legal line. Though originally draped
in an ugly tarp and collecting graffiti, we have removed the tarp to
reveal a new wooden fence (ripe for a flowering vine). The space has
several mature shade trees. Volunteers dismantled, and the City removed
a large block wall, but also removed a green lawn and left us with rubble
and unsightly depressions. A third of the site is covered with concrete;
once removed and replaced with plants, the site will be green and beautiful. |
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SIMULATED VIEWS AFTER
BEAUTIFICATION LANDSCAPING AND MOSAIC EGG SCULPTURAL SEATING |
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LANDSCAPING:
This site is within the Venice Boulevard Planting Design of 1996. (Design
permit BD-401097) Apart from trees, some of the Design was never implemented.
Our current beautification efforts, and particularly the funding of
this community project, serve as the impetus to get this site (and hopefully
more) landscaped as designed. Concrete must be removed, a water meter
and sprinkler system installed, and designated native plants are to
be planted. The Venice Action Committee (which conducted the landscaping
in 1996), has pledged to do this work for our site in conjunction with
this Mosaic Egg Corner Park Project. |
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MOSAIC
EGGS SCULPTURAL SEATING - DIMENSIONS: We will create 7 giant 2’x3’x2’
steel reinforced eggs which are covered with a mosaic of natural and
recycled objects collected by our group, such as: stone, pebbles, ceramic
shards, shells, beach glass, and small smooth steel objects.. |
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DESIGN:
The simplicity of the organic egg forms and our use of natural materials
will render the space elegant. These abstract forms will be aesthetically
pleasing to adults as well as children. Great for sitting or climbing
upon. Attractive to passers-by. Interesting to explore. A plaque will
provide information on egg shapes and varieties as well as recognition
of this project. |
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OUR
VOLUNTEERS – Important Community Participation – In addition
to the numerous neighbors who want to be a part of creating the sculptures
for our corner, we will be joined by the Communitywork for Kids Program
of the Venice Community Housing Corporation. In the past, this after
school program for “at risk” youth helped in the creation
of wonderful permanent mosaic murals in Venice, including along the
Boardwalk. This project will renew that program for the kids. It’s
a natural match for these kids to work with our Venice artist on a permanent
mosaic sculpture neighborhood beautification project – all are
eager to do so. |
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POCKET
PARK TRANSFORMATION – Community Pride – A Destination: Our
community made giant mosaic eggs and landscaping will not only provide
unique seating, climbing and play opportunities, but also, being community
made, they will engender pride in and ownership of our neighborhood
corner. The Venice Mosaic Eggs will transform a nice space into a wonderful
green Corner Park. It will be a place to meet and chat with neighbors…a
beautiful place we personally will have created. |
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| URBAN
REALITY: Because The Venice Mosaic Eggs will draw regular, daily neighborhood
visitors to the corner park, they will also deter homeless encampments.
The homeless don’t camp where the public regularly goes. Furthermore,
the shapes of the eggs are impossible to sleep upon. |
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Project Artist: Robin Murez, Project Manager: Robert Duffy, Organization Head: Lisa Ezell. Landscape services: The Venice Action Committee. Volunteer support: Venice Community Housing Corporation |
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Contact: Mosaic Eggs @ Venice Public Art . Com |
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