Join ARTiFACTS for a tour of the Watts Towers on May 1st.
Tour of the Watts Towers with Blanka Kielb from the LACMA Conservation Center
Monday, May 1, 2017, 2:00pm
Constructed between 1921 and 1954/55 by Italian immigrant Simon Rodia, the Watts Towers have become an iconic monument to the city. The collection of 17 structures, which Rodia himself called Nuestro Pueblo (Our Town), was erected by hand and made of steel rods wrapped in wire mesh and coated with cement. Embedded into nearly every inch of the environment are shards of ceramics, bottles tiles, shells, and other scraps—often brought to Rodia by others in the neighborhood.Owned by the State of California and managed by the City of Los Angeles, The Watts Towers are a National Historic Landmark and one of the most widely recognized works of art to come out of Southern California in the last century. In October 2010 LACMA entered into a partnership with the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs to oversee the day-to-day care and maintenance of Watts Towers and to develop a comprehensive plan for its long term preservation. Daily maintenance involves monitoring the loss of decorative elements and the movement of cracks and fissures; monitoring the movement of the Towers and foundations and the environmental conditions at the site; and documenting the state of preservation and structural stability of the individual sculptures.
Space is limited to 12 guests. Email Karly by Thursday, 4/27, to reserve your spot.
Update (April 27, 2017): RSVPs are now closed.