A one day Jan 26 exhibition at the Pico House kicks off a year long tour of Leo Politi's works, some dating back to the 1930s. LAT profiles the Los Angeles artist; Cecilia Rasmussen writes:
In 1961, when their small house was condemned along with many other homes on Bunker Hill to clear the way for office skyscrapers, the Politi family moved to Angeleno Heights. But Politi continued to go to Bunker Hill, protesting through his paintings the demise of the historic neighborhood.
His watercolor illustrations were reproduced in the 1964 book "Bunker Hill," in which Politi tells the story of "A Lady Named Rose," who came to symbolize neighborhood resistance to the demolitions. She was an elderly woman who lived in a "charming old place" painted a "rusty green color, mellowed by time," Politi wrote. When she was evicted, "she dragged her furniture downstairs all by herself, while her dog and cats stood by and watched." [Street artist tapped into L.A.'s spirit]
Pictured: Leo Politi (1908-1996)
[El Pueblo]
[Official Web Site]
[DotDotDash Item]
[Memo Pisa el Lodo] Details of Politi's Olvera St mural Blessing of the Animals
I first met Leo Politi in 2001, nearly seven years after his death, when Gim Fong, the proprietor of a small Chinatown art shop, produced a transparent plastic storage folder from behind the counter. Inside was a faded and mottled children’s book called Moy Moy, its edges torn and frayed, but cherished in the way he laid it upon the glass — like jewelry. “This is more precious to me than anything in here,” he said.
Matthew Dursten L.A. Weekly 9.1.05 [Angel of Olvera St]
He verged into adult books too, the most noted of which was Bunker Hill, a series of paintings of the stately Victorian houses which populated that section of Downtown before the skyscrapers irrevocably altered the landscape. In total he authored 30 books and illustrated an additional 15 to 20. A devoted fan of Angels Flight during its first and second incarnations, Politi designed posters and T-shirts for the railway. Poole recalls that when signing his work for fans (including an appearance at Angels Flight rededication just weeks ago) he offered more than the proverbial messy scribble; he would draw a bird or write a short message in the corner to make each piece personal.
An Artist Remembered Bunker Hill's Angel, Painter Leo Politi, Passes Away
Jon Regardie
1996 DowntownNews via [LeoPoliti.net]
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