Nuestro Pueblo (Our Town), The Watts Towers by Sam Rodia.
Construction Worker by day and Artist by night!
Ever since I saw the Watts Towers on a lecture slide in my undergraduate Art Survey class, they haunted me. They seemed so mysterious. Was it a sacred site in an urban jungle, I wondered what was Simon Rodia, the artists inspiration and how could he spend thirty four years of life on this colossal Sculpture. It kind of blows me away, his clarity of vision and his mastery of persistence.
Also, Simon was totally ahead of his time as the Watts Towers are completely Up Cycled. The Watts Towers are created from bottles and odds and ends. Rodia transformed others peoples "garbage" into ART. Maybe that is why he called in Nuestro Pueblo, Our Town, the sculptures were really bits and pieces from and of every one in the community. His work was essentially community ART reach. It is also curious, how when the Watts Towers were finished, he gave his ART and his land away.
The Watts Towers our a short trip only around 13 miles from Downtown LA. The neighborhood is unserved and at times could be a little sketchy. It reminded me of parts of Oakland or Richmond, it is really not that bad.
Next to the towers there is quaint little community Art Center. It was cute on the day we went they were having a piano recital. We got to see several community youth nervously play. It was wonderful to feel the pulse of the community.Also,the gallery had some great art exhibiting.
Simon Rodia had a big dream and he made it happen! Get inspired by the Watts Towers, it is definitely worth the trip!
Simon Rodia Watts Towers on Google Maps
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