Los Angeles (USA, California)
Watts Towers, also known as Simon Rodia Towers; three towers 30, 29 and 16 meters high, built with such materials as pieces of porcelain, tile, bottles and seashells.
Venice – is a district in the city’s west, famed for its beaches and canals.
Within Los Angeles there is a separate administrative unit – the city of Beverly Hills, which is known for its luxurious mansions of famous Hollywood actors and film industry barons – a materialized embodiment of the “American dream”. In 1990s, huge shopping and entertainment center Century City (named after the film studio “XX century Fox”, which is located here) was built in Beverly Hills.
The biggest library of the city is the Los Angeles Public Library and its branches, serving the residents of the city. The dwellers of the city’s vicinities can use the services of Los Angeles County Public Library. In total, the system of public libraries of the city includes 72 library institutions.
Along with that, the attention of Los Angeles citizens and guests is brought to an increasing number of cultural institutions, such as: Museum of Art (LACMA), Getty Center, Museum of Contemporary Art (МОСА), Museum of Neon Art (MONA), Skirball Cultural Center, Museum of Tolerance, Native American Art of the South-West Museum, Museum of Latin History, Art and Culture, Los Angeles County Local History Museum and many others. A great number of art galleries is spread on the territory of the city proper (the most known are in Santa Monica and West Hollywood) to form the artistic environment of the metropolis.
Among the best known theaters and concert halls of the city one has to point out Los Angeles County Music Center (which includes Dorothy Chandler Pavilion – the home of Los Angeles Opera, Ahmanson Theater, which stages grand Broadway shows), Ford Amphitheater, Greek Theater, Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall (world-famous Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra is playing here), Kodak Theater (where in particular the official ceremony of awarding Oskar-winners is held), Staples Center (since 2004 it hosts the annual Grammy awards) etc. Many smaller theaters are also scattered in the city. Los Angeles, the capital of the world film industry, has many movie theaters; among them the most well known are Grauman’s Chinese Theater, where many premieres are held, and El Capitan Theater.
Los Angeles is widely known for its monumental art on the “canvas” of thousands of city walls. A number of famous muralists of Mexican origin (Diego Riviera, David Alfaro Siqueiros and others) immortalized their names on the streets of the metropolis. In 1960-1970s Chicano Art Movement was burgeoning in the city (the word Chicano is used for Mexican Americans); the painters of this movement used Monumental tradition in their works.
It is also recognized that Los Angeles is one of the world’s centers of graffiti art (in particular, the works of graffiti groups in Belmont tunnel became widely known).
A famous program of public art is engaged in the city: all construction companies erecting new buildings have to donate one percent of the whole project’s cost to the public art fund.
The production of movies and TV-programs is, of course, the best known trademark of the city in the sphere of art. Los Angeles is a place of residence of many popular film actors. Besides a number of Hollywood studious several film industry institutions, such as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the American Film Institute etc. Several film festivals are held here, including Los Angeles Independent Film Festival.
Los Angeles duly holds an honorable place in the world’s music culture. Even back in 1960s Sunset Strip Boulevard became a spring board for such groups as The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, The Doors; this area also gave start to the career of The Beach Boys. Many music acts of heavy and alternative directions, among which are Van Halen (from neighboring Pasadena), Mötley Crüe, Guns N′Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, thrash metal act Slayer. In the 1990s, Los Angeles’ contribution to rock music continued with acclaimed artists such as Korn, Beck, Sublime, Rage Against the Machine, Linkin Park (from Santa Monica) and others. The city has contributed a lot to the hip-hop music scene of USA, electronic music and other styles.
A great number of record studious owned by numerous record labels (such as Warner Music Group, Capitol Records, many independent record labels etc.) are located in the city.
Los Angeles is often dubbed “the capital of entertainment”. Tens of thousands entertainment institutions, cafes, bars and so forth are functioning in the city, the variety of which is no doubt a good reflection of multinational makeup of the metropolis. Main night entertainment centers are concentrated in downtown LA, in the districts like Silver Lake, Hollywood, and West Hollywood (with a famous street of night clubs and bars – Sunset Strip).
In day time the citizens and tourists are welcomed in famous theme entertainment parks such as “Disney Land” (in LA suburb – Anaheim) and Universal Studios Hollywood, as well as on the famed ocean beaches in Santa Monica and Malibu.
Los Angeles is a world renowned center of retail trade. Among the busiest shopping streets of the city are: Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Third Street Promenade and Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, Old Town in Pasadena, Hollywood, etc. Los Angeles is also one of the world capitals of the fashion business, glamour and luxury, which is well depicted in numerous motion pictures and others works of art.
Translator: Mikhail Chirkov