“A scar where the river once ran.” That is how artist Judy Baca viewed the concrete banks of the Tujunga Wash. Now, gaze upon the Great Wall of Los Angeles also known as the Windows of Time Mural.
The Windows of Time Mural is no ordinary painting. It is a powerful visual narrative. It tells the story of California through the eyes of those often overlooked: women and minorities.
The Windows of Time Mural is located on Coldwater Canyon Avenue. It sits between Oxnard Street and Burbank Boulevard. Find it on the eastern edge of Valley College campus.
This mural stretches an incredible 2,754 feet. It covers over six city blocks. This makes it one of the longest murals in the world.
Judy Baca designed the Windows of Time Mural in 1978. She worked with over 400 community youth and artists. Together, they transformed a concrete eyesore into a cultural landmark. The Social and Public Art Resource Center coordinated this massive project. It was their first public art endeavor.
The Windows of Time Mural emphasizes the history of Native Americans. It highlights ethnic and religious minorities. LGBTQ people and civil rights activists also find representation here. Baca wanted to fill a void. She noted the lack of public art reflecting Los Angeles’ diverse heritage.
The Windows of Time Mural begins with prehistory and colonialism. Christina Schlesinger designed the first panel. It depicts native wildlife and the Chumash creation story. Subsequent panels cover 20th-century events.
Chinese labor contributions are shown. The arrival of Jewish refugees fleeing oppression also features. See depictions of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. The Japanese-American internment of World War II is displayed. The Zoot Suit Riots are here too.
The Windows of Time Mural covers Freedom Bus rides. It shows the disappearance of Rosie the Riveter. Gay rights activism gets its due. The story of Biddy Mason is told. Deportations of Mexican Americans are depicted. The birth of rock and roll is painted. The development of suburbia also finds a place.
Each section of the Windows of Time Mural was designed by a different artist. Baca supervised all sections. The mural’s style is Social Realism.
The Windows of Time Mural doesn’t avoid uncomfortable topics. It confronts past and present social injustices. Sweeping lines and dynamic figures define Baca’s composition.
The Great Wall of Los Angeles became part of the curriculum. Grant High School and Valley College use it in their lessons.
In 1974, the Army Corps of Engineers contacted Baca. They wanted a beautification project. Baca seized the chance to transform the flood-control channel. Funding from the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act helped. It enabled Baca to assemble her artistic workforce.
Baca studied mural techniques in Cuernavaca during the summer of 1977. She learned about preservation and chemistry. She also studied David Alfaro Siqueiros’ polyangular theory.
The project transformed an abandoned Venice police station. It became mural headquarters. Workshops were coordinated here. Materials were archived.
Baca recruited a team of artists. Isabel Castro and Yreina Cervantez joined. Judithe Hernández and Olga Munoz also participated. Patssi Valdez and Margaret Garcia contributed. Christina Schlesinger, Judy Chicago, and Gary Tokumoto added their talents.
Each section of the Windows of Time Mural went through “Imagining of Content.” This process included research. Experts were consulted. Group members collectively decided on cultural, political, artistic, and historical stories. They interviewed people who lived through those events.
Originally, 80 young people from the juvenile justice program helped. They earned minimum wage working 25 hours a week. Baca mentored these young workers. They learned math, history, and art.
The names of the young people are recorded on the Windows of Time Mural. Forty historians and 40 artists helped make it a reality.
A flood once washed away materials. The community donated $20,000 in two weeks to help finish. The Windows of Time Mural was completed in 1984.
Over time, environmental damage took its toll. Pollution and sun eroded the art. Restoration began in 2011. Some of the original youth artists returned to help.
Viewing the entire Windows of Time Mural presents challenges. A pedestrian bridge is planned to allow closer viewing.
Plans are underway to extend the mural’s history beyond the 1950s. The National Endowment for the Arts has provided funds. SPARC plans for the mural to be a mile long.
Additional history panels, picnic tables, restrooms, and benches are considered.
Judith Baca said the Great Wall of Los Angeles could not be done today due to censorship. She stated that it is not just history. It is about relationships.
Baca said that the people made a giant monument to interracial harmony.