Destination Crenshaw, largest Black public art project in the U.S., announces inaugural mural.
Rendering of Kehinde Wiley’s sculpture in Sankofa Park. Rendering by Perkins & Will. Courtesy of Destination Crenshaw.
Destination Crenshaw, a reparative development project and the United States’s largest Black public art initiative, will launch with a mural by Los Angeles artist Anthony “Toons One” Martin titled Hey Young World (2024). The mural marks the beginning of a transformative journey for Los Angeles’s Crenshaw District, which will host over 100 temporary and permanent works by Black artists connected to Los Angeles.
The project’s launch, originally set for February, has been modified due to heavy rains in L.A. this winter. The new rollout begins with murals—including Martin’s contribution at the corner of Crenshaw Boulevard and 57th Street—which will be revealed throughout spring, leading up to a larger celebration later in the year.
Rendering of the aerial view of Sankofa Park. Rendering by Perkins&Will. Courtesy of Destination Crenshaw.
Destination Crenshaw’s first permanent outdoor sculpture commissions include works by Charles Dickson, Kehinde Wiley, Melvin Edwards, Alison Saar, Gerard Basil Stripling, Brenna Youngblood, Artis Lane, and Maren Hassinger, installed across the project’s 1.3-mile corridor.
“We are excited for Destination Crenshaw’s commissioned artworks to start unfolding for the neighborhood to enjoy,” said Jason Foster, president and COO of Destination Crenshaw. “It’s a fitting start to 2024 and Destination Crenshaw’s more visible stamp on the Boulevard while we focus on establishing cultural tourism and career development programs to capitalize on the opportunities Destination Crenshaw will create for the Crenshaw District.”
Beyond the visual arts, Destination Crenshaw is committed to the economic and social revitalization of the Crenshaw District. Through its workforce development program, the initiative is creating pathways for local Black residents to gain career opportunities.