MAR VISTA, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — For more than a decade, the utility poles along Mar Vista’s streets have been decorated with dozens of metal artworks created by local resident Lori Powers.
“I thought, what can I do with my skills to make a difference in the world,” said Powers, who creates each piece in her Mar Vista home and then uses a ladder and electric drill to attach the welded pieces to the wooden posts.
“I walk around the neighborhood looking for discarded items, usually metal. Then I bring them home, look at them and think, ‘Oh, what can I do with them today?'”
The quirky works of art have brought a smile to the faces of countless people, young and old, throughout the district.
“This is something that brings tremendous aesthetic value to our community,” said Paul Von Blum. “I’ve seen these wonderful, whimsical sculptures for years, I’ve had the privilege of teaching at UCLA for a long time, and I teach about public art.”
“People can see it and enjoy it while they go about their daily business. That’s what public art is all about.”
But people may not see it for much longer.
Citing state law, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is sending crews to the neighborhood to remove every piece of artwork and return it to Powers.
“The DWP says there is a state law that prohibits attaching anything to a telephone pole,” Powers said. “So why have they been able to stay here for 10 years?”
But the residents are not giving up without a fight.
As LADWP work crews attempted to remove the artwork on Tuesday morning, a group of about two dozen local residents attempted to peacefully obstruct the removal by standing next to the utility poles.
“They were standing under the masts,” Powers said. “Because (LADWP) uses cherry pickers and cherry pickers, they can’t stand over a human being. So the people went under and risked their lives to do this art.”
In a statement, the LADWP said the artwork posed a risk to public safety.
“We are very supportive of public art, but the placement of items such as artwork on utility poles is prohibited by the California Public Utilities Commission, which regulates public utility poles.
“Structures like those hanging from power poles in Mar Vista pose a threat to the safety of our teams and the public. Our teams must be able to climb the poles unhindered to perform maintenance.
“We will continue to work with the 11th Ward, the artist and the community to find a suitable alternative location to exhibit the installations. We appreciate everyone’s input and willingness to work together to resolve this issue, with safety as our top priority.”
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