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The Beverly Center is undergoing a huge overhaul. The $500 million dollar makeover will include everything from a new "foodhall" to a kind of high-tech parking lot that helps drivers locate their cars.
But, as with any project of this scope, there's the prospect of unsightly construction areas (think: scaffolding and large metal beams). The team at the Beverly Center has that part all figured out, however. Their idea is to cover up the construction with temporary art installations. While this may sound like nothing more than a pet project, it seems like a lot of thought was put into it. Organizers collaborated with curator Jenelle Porter, who's working in association with the Hammer Museum. They brought in L.A.-centric artists to put up murals that, according to a press release, reflect the "progressive, multicultural fabric of Los Angeles."
On Monday they unveiled the installations put up by artists Dave Muller and Geoff McFetridge. McFetridge’s piece, titled Small Gap Between Here and Nowhere, is a 1,000-foot, minimalist depiction of coyotes roaming around. His piece adorns the wing of the Bloomingdale's on the seventh level of the mall. Muller's installation, titled California Daydreaming w/Perks, is a 800-foot panoramic view of L.A, which also features the coyote. His piece will decorate the wing of the Bloomingdale's on the sixth floor.
Are we sensing a thread here? Coyotes, while sometimes vilified (and threatened) by locals, make for great artwork. Plus they're a natural part of our environment.
Check out the works of Muller and McFetridge here:
More of California Daydreaming w/Perks (Courtesy of The Beverly Center)
Geoff McFetridge's Small Gap Between Here and Nowhere (Courtesy of The Beverly Center)
More of McFetridge's Small Gap Between Here and Nowhere (Courtesy of The Beverly Center)
Works by photographer Catherine Opie and designer Karen Kimmel will also be unveiled in the upcoming weeks. The mall is slated to complete its make-over in November of 2018. The Beverly Center will remain open throughout the construction projects.