Back in the late 1980s and 1990s when the Metro system was being built in Los Angeles, the city went all out for art. In the stations built since then there is still art–usually modest tile panels–but nothing quite as extravagant and amazing as the artwork in the Red and Gold lines. The artists back then were given almost total freedom to do what they wanted with very generous budgets.
This is just one of a half a dozen sculptures of young flying men hanging from the ceiling in the Red Line Civic Center station in downtown L.A. The sculptures entitled “I dreamed I could Fly” were created by Jonathan Borofsky and each resembles him. Well, that’s one way to become an immortal among artists!
Men can Fly in the Metro
The Civic Center Station in downtown L.A. is probably most famous for its “flying men” sculptures suspended from the ceiling. The sculptures entitled “I dreamed I could Fly” were created by Jonathan Borofsky who based the figures on himself.
There are also dozens of tile mosaic murals lining the walls upstairs in the station, but I suspect many people walk right by them as they rush to the trains or to the street upstairs. They were designed by Faith Ringgold and produced by artisans at Mosaika Art and Design in Montreal.
So here are a few of these many glass tile mosaics. Because L.A. is such a sports town–8 professional sports teams here–I picked a few sports murals to show you. But there are others–especially musicians and dancers–in the Civic Center Station.
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Was this mural, below, inspired by Muhammad Ali?
