Public Art Works in Chinatown, Los Angeles

Chinatown is roughly bound by Cesar Chavez Blvd to the south, Alameda St. to the east, Figueroa St. to the west and the Dodger stadium (Bishop Rd.) to the north. This page arranged in rough geographic order from north to south. Do not reproduce information from this site without acknowledgement of the artists and their works, or of the authors of this site.

• Chinatown Gateway, Broadway, just north of Cesar Chavez.

• Casa Italiana, 1051 N. Broadway:
  • Lupa Capitolina
    • Historic background on the statue
    • A short bibliography on the work

    • St. Peter's Church

  • Alberto Biasi, The Immigrants, 1971.
    • Background on the sculpture
    • A short biography of the arist
    • A short bibliography on the work

• Dora de Larios, Elements, 1989. Entry arch, Bamboo Plaza. Hill St. at Bernard St. (CRA%)
  • Background on the work
  • A short biography of the artist
  • A short bibliography on the work

• New Chinatown Central Plaza (south of Bamboo lane, between Broadway and Hill streets. According to a plaque in the center of the plaza, it is "dedicated to Mr. Peter Soo Hoo and Mr. Herbert Lapham, co-founders of Chinatown whose foresight and untiring efforts were largely responsible for the development and building of a finer Chinatown upon which work was started February 1, 1937"):
  • Sun Yat-sen, 1966 (sponsored by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association)
    • Background information on the sculpture
    • A short bibliography on the work

  • Liu Hong Kay, Seven Star Cavern wishing well, 1939

  • Fu-Ding Cheng, Chinese Celestial Dragon, 1984

  • Gate of Filial Piety, 1938

  • West Gate, 1938

  • Lions at the United Savings Bank

  • Lions at the plaza

  • Seated Buddha

  • Buddha with a flower

• Anonymous, Tile murals: "Picture of Viewing Waterfalls in Summer Mountains"; "Palace in Heaven"; "Four Beauties Catching Swimming Fish", 1968. 913 N. Broadway.
  • A short bibliography on the murals

• Carl F. K. Cheng, Water Lens Tower, 1992. Kaiser Mental Health Center, College St. and Figueroa Terrace. (CRA%)
  • Background information on the project
  • A short biography of the artist
  • A bibliography of works on the project

• May Sun, Listening for the Trains to Come, 1992. Chinatown Medical and Professional Building, Adobe at College. Segment of parking lot fence. (CRA%)

• Chinatown Public Library, Yale and College streets:
  • Shiyan Zhang, The Party at Lan-ting, 1991 (SPARC)
    • Background information on the mural
    • A short biography of the artist
    • A short bibliography on the mural

  • Randall Wilson, Bicycle racks, 1996.
    • Background information on the bike racks
    • A brief biography of the artist

• Jeanne D'Arc, Pacific Alliance Medical Center (formerly, the French Hospital, erected on October 1, 1869). College and Yale streets. View of the Pacific Alliance Medical Center as of 3/98.

• Steven Wong and others, Shades of Chinatown, Mural, 2003(?).

• Castelar School, Yale St. between College and Alpine:
  • Leo Politi, Untitled mural, 1977. Entry includes background information on the making of the mural.
    • A short biography of the artist
    • A short bibliography on the mural

  • Glenna Boltuch Avila, Light of Asia: Buddha Sakyamuni in Asian Art, 1984 (NEA)
    • Background information on the making of the mural
    • A short biography on the artist
    • A bibliography on the mural

• Carol Nye, Chinese American Women in L. A., 1994. Metro Plaza, Cesar Chavez Blvd. (CLA). Temporary; removed as of April 2000. Carol Nye has a web site describing her work at http://www.artemedia.com/subscribers/cnye/
  • Image of Katherine Cheung (aviatrix). For a recent article on Katherine Cheung, check "'China's Amelia Earhart' Got her Wings Here" by Ceclia Rasmussen, Los Angeles Times, April 12, 1998, p. B3.
  • Image of Mama Quon Seto Yui Hai, (restauranteur). According to the August 1999 newsletter of the Southern California Chinese Historical Society, Mama Quon died at the age of 101.
  • Image of Ella Yee Quan, (educator)
  • Image of Ruby Ling Louie, (librarian)
  • Background information on the project
  • A short biography of the artist
  • A bibliography on the project

• Christina Miguel Mullen, Together Working Towards a Flourishing Society, 1995. Mural, Sunset at Broadway, between El Pueblo and Chinatown.

• Ernesto Montano, Circular Motion, 1994. 300 W. Cesar Chavez Blvd.
  • Background information on the work
  • A brief biography of the artist
  • A short bibliography on the work

5/2005