Hollywood/Vine Station - Slideshow
Hooray for Hollywood by Gilbert (Magu) Lujan
Project Description
One of the most famous intersections in the world—Hollywood and Vine—is the site of this station designed by artist Gilbert “Magu” Lujan in collaboration with Miralles Associates, Inc. Artist and architect worked together to evoke the history, glamour and excitement of the Hollywood film industry’s yesteryears and its great movie palaces.
Symbols of Hollywood, which speak of the social vehicles and the dynamics that made Hollywood and Vine the world's film fantasy capital, adorn the street level of this station. Bus shelter designs make reference to Grauman's Chinese Theater, a stretch limousine, and the Brown Derby Restaurant. The elevator entrance resembles a movie theater with its marquee greeting riders on the street.
From the street level plaza down to the subway platform, passengers follow paving which recalls the yellow brick road from the "Wizard of Oz" and pass by 240 hand painted art tiles on the station walls. The interior handrailing design houses the musical notes to the song “Hooray for Hollywood.” The interior of the station contains various artifacts and references to the film industry. Film reels decorate the ceiling while two original film projectors from the 1930s, donated by Paramount Pictures, are on exhibit.
On the platform, the artist created sculpted bench backs depicting themes that are reminiscent of Los Angeles's car culture and its significance to the local cityscape. The bench backs were removed due to severe vandalism. In their eleven years on display, the bench backs were refurbished and reinstalled twice. Metro is reviewing possible alternatives that would be durable and sustainable.
Collaboration with Miralles Associates, Inc., Architects.
Artist Statement
“What evolved, in searching for design elements and solutions for this station, was the implication of Hollywood as a dream factory for world culture. The ingredients were light and power, fantasy and enchantment, glitz and glitter. The theater was the extension and satellite of Hollywood's pervasive influence everywhere.” - Gilbert “Magu” Lujan & Adolfo Miralles
MIRALLES ASSOCIATES, INC., based in Altadena and founded in 1972, is known for master planning and design of public facilities and for pioneering the use of innovative design and application of energy efficient technologies. In addition to a number of transportation projects, the firm has worked on water purification facilities, schools, park facilities, and visitor centers. Adolfo Miralles served as lead designer on the project.
About the Artist
GILBERT LUJAN was born in Stockton, CA and attended East LA City College, Cal State Long Beach, and UC Irvine where he received a Bachelor of Arts in ceramics and a Master of Fine Arts in sculpture. Lujan, who goes by the nickname “Magu,” was a member of the noted Chicano art collective “Los Four.” His work has been exhibited at the LA County Museum of Art, the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts in Texas, and many galleries across the country. Throughout Lujan’s work one can find references to car culture and hot rods, Mesoamerican forms, Chicano symbols, and personal inventions such as his anthropomorphic dogs juxtaposed in fantasy scenes.
Display year: 1999 -
Locations: Hollywood/Vine Station
