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MacArthur Park's Lake Is Gonna Be So Full Of Balls This Summer
MacArthur Park is getting a heavy dose of color this summer with 7,000 giant balls set to float in the lake.Portraits of Hope, who previously brought us the glammed-out lifeguard towers and painted taxicabs in New York, will soon unleash thousands of giant, inflatable, hand-painted balls for their Spheres at MacArthur Park project. Seven years in the making, the project finally got the stamp of approval back in December. "There's a lot of political battles we had to deal with, but fortunately, Mayor Garcetti has just been an amazing partner in this project," Ed Massey, one of the brothers behind Portraits of Hope, told CBS 2.
The balls, which range from four to six feet in diameter, will be painted by volunteers, as well as "hospitals, schools, social service and community groups," in an effort to unite the community behind a public art project. Portraits of Hope expects the painting of the balls to take at least two more months before they are unleashed to the wild and will hang out in the lake for about a month. Anyone interested in participating should reach out to poh@portraitsofhope.org.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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