In the 1970's, artist Judy Baca began The Great Wall of Los Angeles; an (almost) mile long mural that chronicles the "unofficial" history of Los Angeles through the eyes of Native Americans, women and minorities.
Judy Baca grew in Pacoima and saw the canalization of the river as a metaphor for LA's ambiguous relationship to its past. That led her to using the concrete banks of the Los Angeles River to depict her vision of the city, a gesture whose boldness wasn't just limited to painting one of the largest and politically charged murals in the world. She also involved more than 400 youth in the production of the mural, an ongoing set of interactions with L.A.'s future generations that stretched from 1976 and 1983.
We weren't able to convinced Judy to meet us at the Tujunga Wash drainage canal, where the mural is painted, so we drove to her studio in Venice (located in an old jail) to interview her. But we where running late...
It took us a few minutes to open up and get comfortable with each other. Much like her murals, Judy Baca is bold and all encompassing.... besides, she's done a million interviews about the Great Wall. Still, Departures and Judy Baca's work share a common history and, to a certain degree, sensibility. So it was great to finally be invited to an area she calls the backstage - the central nerve of her operation - to share stories, moments and images of her wall.... and ours.
I am also a Baca, althought unsure if I'm directely related to Judy. I also paint and wanted to show her one of my works that I did for a class reunion many years ago. She is very good and I can see her imprint on the art world. She is a great inspiration to all citizens that are interested in art (both doing and observing)
Viva la raza!
Hue Baca