Angels Gate Cultural Center. Photo copyright 2016 by Anna Boudinot.
Art and culture in Los Angeles are everywhere. If you don't believe me, then you probably aren't looking hard enough. I hate to be a snob, but going to Disneyland and then hitting up the Hollywood Walk of Fame before you go shopping on Rodeo Drive and then back to the airport doesn't count as a visit to LA. One time I met a group of tourists who asked me what I would recommend as a must-see while they were in town. I told them San Pedro and they looked dumbfounded.
Los Angeles' southernmost neighborhood, San Pedro, is steeped in history that dates back thousands of years. The Tongva lived there peacefully until Portuguese explorers landed there in the 1500s. It was part of the Spanish empire -- "New Spain" -- in the late 1700s, became a part of Mexico in the early 1800s, and finally part of the United States after the Mexican-American War. In 1906 San Pedro was annexed by the City of Los Angeles, putting the port there under jurisdiction of the city. A few years later, the Southern Pacific Railroad completed its first wharf, setting the stage for the Port of Los Angeles to become what it is today: the largest container port in the United States. Upton Sinclair was once arrested in San Pedro for rallying the longshoremen; Charles Bukowski lived out the final years of his life there; the Minutemen pioneered California punk there. San Pedro feels unlike any other part of Los Angeles, but at the same time is quintessential LA.
Its coastal location made San Pedro an important military site in WWI and WWII. Parts of Fort MacArthur, an Army installation active from 1914 to 1975, was deeded to the City of Los Angeles in 1978, under the condition that the city develop it for recreation. Angels Gate Cultural Center was born.
View from inside Angels Gate Cultural Center. Photo copyright 2016 by Anna Boudinot.
Angels Gate Cultural Center is perched on a hilltop with stunning views of the harbor and of Catalina Island. Army barracks were transformed into 52 studios for painters, sculptors, printmakers, and a variety of other artists. More than just a collection of studios, the center provides art classes, yoga and meditation classes, and other cultural opportunities to the community. The main gallery is open 7 days a week and has free admission. New shows tend to open on weekend afternoons and the public is invited to enjoy the art along with complimentary wine and snacks, adding to the unpretentious vibe of the place.
“Baltimore Call and Response” by Marcus Civin. Photographed at the Angels Gate Cultural Center in 2016.
Art exhibitions commonly represent local artists, but there's nothing commonplace about the range of artistic styles showcased there. The current show, "Hold Up," offers an exploration of both meanings of that phrase: both to support and to block. The exhibition includes stunning treatises by poet Marcus Civin about what's impeding America's progress, as well as an interactive piece by Beth Elliott where visitors are invited to help make designs in sand by gently moving one end of a swinging pendulum. Typical to a show at Angels Gate, "Hold Up" also includes artwork that refers to the Port of Los Angeles and the lives of those who are close to it. It runs through April 4, 2016.
Angels Gate Cultural Center is just one way to soak up the culture and history of LA. After your visit to the center, stop by the Korean Bell of friendship and the Fort MacArthur Museum, both of which I will write about in future posts and both of which are right next door. Still on the fence? It's so easy to get to Angel's Gate you really have no excuse not to go. Take the 110 freeway until it ends at Gaffey Street (at which point you'll realize why it's called the Harbor Freeway), then keep heading south on Gaffey. At right about the moment you see the end of Gaffey Street, you will be on top of a hill. Angel's Gate is immediately to your right.
I promise it's almost as fun as Disneyland.