Introduction

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles may feel hidden because of its downtown location. For a long time since it was designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, it has been associated with its less conspicuous qualities. Since L.A. painter Jonas Wood covered the museum building facade with a reproduction of his Still Life With Two Owls painting of 2014, the vinyl production has not only revitalized the downtown street but the museum’s interior as well.

A 500 square-meter mural

There is no shortage of dazzling architecture in the modern era and for a museum to stay quiet in a vibrant city like Los Angeles feels odd. Thanks to Wood, the 500m2 facade has covered the museum’s exterior with a mural that depicts plants in various decorated ceramic vessels. There is no doubt that the flowers and splash of color that has been used in the vinyl gives the temperature outside the museum a complete makeover.

Video: Installation of the artwork

Colors

The choice of color that Wood uses is peculiar to him as he has for a long time taken pride in creating brightly hued portraits and still life drawings with generous amounts of color combinations. This current project has taken him since 2014 and the final touches were being made in 2017. For an artist of his caliber to sit back and describe his work as exuberant, it is because he too believes in the effect it is going to create. This is the reaction Wood has as he sees the rendering team working to set the paint on the wall. There is no doubt that the colors will come to life just like the artist intended.

Why use vinyl?

Such effort in lightening up an outdoor space is worth it, even if the light only lasts a while. The decision to use vinyl is deliberate because not only does it adhere to the wall, but it keeps the facade intact. While Wood’s mural is currently vibrant, in time, it will need to pave way for other artists to showcase their ideas. As the face of the museum takes a transformational curve, it will give art lovers new hope and desire to see what is on display.

As its run comes to a close, Wood’s vinyl mural will have to peel off the wall, but its magnificence does not come down with it. In this technological era, his work will be immortalized on smartphones and social media pages.