We set out to describe the art scene in the northeastern Los Angeles burrough of Lincoln Hieghts. We began to roam about Lincoln Hieghts and quickly found ourselves in an adjacent burrough. This seemless transition from one burrough to the next qiuckly became the rule rather than the exception. It quickly became apparent the most significant fabric tying these burroughts together was not their names and individual identities. In most cases there was no readily apparent indivual identity, however, this is not to say that collectivly these burroughs do not have an identity distinct from other districts in Los Angeles. That said, the most apparent fabric tying these burroughs together was the onipresent system of concrete and steel arteries, specifically the confluence of the Golden State Freeway, Arroyo Seoco Parkway, The Los Angeles River, Los Angeles Metro Gold Line and main line of the Union Pacific Railroad.
All of the burroghs connected by this tangle of infrastructure were largely composed of industrial sites with housing pushed to the fringes. This pattern, however, is changing with the addition of the Lacy Street Lofts (see other post) and Fuller Lofts on San Fernando Road. Both buildings were industrial sites in the past but are now in the process of being adabted for housing. In addition to these new housing options and private industrial sites the City of Los Angeles Street Maintnace Headquarters and Shop, New LA City Pound, and Los Angeles Unified School District Distribution Warehouse call this area home.
Visiting with local artist Joe Bravo, showing at KGB Gallery North Spring Street, we learned the gallery scene tapers off signicantly at it leaves Chinatown, however, many artists call the area home because of its lower than average rent cost. With the exception of the Brewery Arts Complex which many artists and a few professional institutions call home.
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