“City in Mind: a Lyrical Map of the Concept of Los Angeles”
City in Mind: a Lyrical Map of the Concept of Los Angeles is a 23 foot long and 5 foot high hand drawn map of Los Angeles highlighted by portraits, quotations and lyrics from writers, journalist, historians, poets, and musicians that are all centered around our fabled city. The map is the brain child of contemporary artist J. Michael Walker and features geographic snapshot of LA from Santa Monica to Downtown. It was first shown at a downtown coffee shop art exhibit then Hammer Museum and eventually bought by UCLA. The map is not exactly topographically correct and is more so focused on providing various perspectives of Los Angeles. With quotes from Will Rogers to Charles Bukowski to Tupac and Joni Mitchell, the map shows a loving portrayal of the city.
“I thought there was a lot of potential for discovery and resonance inherent in making it a map that used literary references…Particularly by authors who lived in Los Angeles–if we used some of the most powerful quotes we could lay our hands on.” – Artist J Micheal Walker
As a 28 year Angeleno native, this imagery resonated so much with me. Walker spent time talking to several ethnic communities in Los Angeles and aimed for the map to be a representation of Los Angeles beyond the stars but the soul of it as well. I chose this from the list of UCLA repositories on the color pencil thumbnail of Joni Mitchell alone. But sadly none of the pictures would load. So I searched all I could find out about it at home and then planned to see it here on campus at Powell Library. No one knew what I was talking about. Every Powell librarian and assistant told me to go to Young Research Library and everyone at YRL told me to go to Powell. I was devastated.
If I were to write on this piece. I would focus on its inception and its journey from a coffee shop to UCLA (allegedly). The piece encapsulates the parts of Los Angeles that locals love. Our history told by us, in our language and art form. For more on the piece please listen to this Daily Bruin Podcast.