The five finalists for a commissioned piece of artwork that will be displayed in Little Tokyo were announced Tuesday by Councilman Kevin de León.
The finalists for the Little Tokyo Community Public Art Project, which will be located at Alameda and Second streets, are Art of Development, Hikaru Hayakawa, Kipp Kobayashi, Meeson Pae Yang and Oblique Labs LLC.
A virtual community presentation, which will be accessible at culturela.org, is scheduled for March 17. The event will include a final selection for the art proposals. A panel will make a final review on March 23 and 24.
“I’m thrilled that we have reached this exciting milestone for the Little Tokyo Public Art Project,” de León said.
“These finalists truly represent some of the most talented artists around and their submissions truly capture Little Tokyo’s historic contributions in shaping not only this community but the rest of Los Angeles in all its vast diversity.”
The project will cost about $250,000, including the cost for artwork, design, fabrication, lighting, artists’ fees and installation.
“Little Tokyo represents a unique and rich cultural history of the city of Los Angeles, and the Department of Cultural Affairs supports the community’s investment to improve the experience for residents and visitors,” said Daniel Tarica, interim general manager for Cultural Affairs.
“We are especially grateful for our partnership with the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center who partnered with the city to further our community participation throughout every phase of this process.”