A portrait of drummer and songwriter Robin Russell faces down Crenshaw Boulevard at the Slauson and Crenshaw entrance to Hyde Park station on the K line.
At the future Hyde Park station on the K line, artwork commissioned by Metro Art installed at the station’s entrance and platform celebrates Hyde Park’s vibrant culture, community and music.
The artwork, Hyde Park Oasisis a series of layered art panels featuring the history and visions for the future shared by Hyde Park residents, small business owners and young people.
Hyde Park Oasis is by artist Carlson Hatton, which was commissioned through an open competitive process following the recommendation of a panel of community arts professionals. The artwork is the culmination of engaging public conversations that brought together Hatton and Hyde Park residents with deep community ties. Residents shared personally significant historical and cultural references and identified key images that represented their vision and knowledge of Hyde Park. Hatton listened.
Integral to the development of the design was Hatton’s mentorship of four local student artists: Joshua Castro, Barbara Visconti, Felipe Garcia and Jarrid Godbold. For several years, they researched neighborhood references by researching and photographing images discovered in community conversations.
Hatton then wove these images into the 10 densely layered paintings of Hyde Park Oasis.
Classic low-riders along Crenshaw Boulevard, live music gatherings, energetic social stages, leafy gardens with fruit trees, mask festivals and the playing of handmade African drums are all included. Music also emerged as a key theme, with Crenshaw Corridor’s influential musicians and styles – from legendary drummer Robin Russell to contemporary jazz artists to the drum line tradition – all found in the work.
With rhythmic color patterns and wide horizons of majestic palm trees towering over notable buildings on the horizonHyde Park Oasis is a tribute to Hyde Park and its soundtrack that resonates in South Los Angeles.
These works of art, made as panels of durable porcelain enameled steel, can now be seen from all sides of Hyde Park station at Crenshaw Blvd. and Slauson Av.
Learn more about the artwork in the video below and here.
Check out previous articles on artwork from the installed station of the Crenshaw/LAX (K Line) Transit Art Program featuring videos about K Line artists and artwork by filmmaker Mobolaji Olambiwonnu:
Learn more about the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project (K Line), now K Line, Art Program here.
About Metro Art
Metro Art enhances the customer experience with innovative, award-winning visual and performing arts programming that encourages attendance and connects the people, places and neighborhoods of Los Angeles County. A diverse range of site-specific artwork is incorporated into the growing subway system, enhancing the quality of transit environments and creating a sense of place.
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