Saving the Rodia/Watts Towers

Nuestro Pueblo

It is time. Los Angeles is broke, and seeking private groups to manage its art centers. And none is more important to LA, and the world, than the Watts Towers. Over a decades long struggle, with donated and found items, Sam Rodia put together and constructed the Towers with his own hands. Originally and appropriately named Nuestro Pueblo “Our Town”, the Watts Towers are truly creative art. Built with a baptizing bath and font, it has been used for services to God and weddings. Seeking to bond us together, in God's creation of nature, no higher calling can be held.
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LACMA, The Getty, the Catholic Church, AME and other religious denominations need to step forward, and join to save this gift to man and God. It has survived earthquakes, man's attempted destruction, and neglect. But cannot for long, it needs, and deserves our loving care. For it is for Us. Nuestro Pueblo. No greater work of art exists in La Ciudad de Los Angeles, nor is there a single work more important or been made in our nation during the post War years. It must be saved, and used as it was intended, to gather the tribes. To be the center of our community. Let it be filled with life, music, and family. It is Art.
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The State Park site of Nuestro Pueblo is a large triangle. Along with the two art center's already established, there is room to build small buildings in a village setting. More is needed to prolong the experience of the Towers, bring in people, and keep them coming back. A music museum, cottages representing nations of the America's and its music; Jazz, Blues, Gospel, Salsa, Samba, Bossa Nova, Reggae, … are simple suggestions for bringing humanity together beneath this wondrous creation. This idea could easily be presented as Art of the Nation’s pavilions for Cuba, Brazil, Lesser Antilles, Jamaica and the US, with others established as spaces open. Creative music’s that mingle the cultures of Europe, Africa, and pre-Columbian peoples.
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Two houses in the area will eventually be bought and either converted, or torn down and built as new pavilions when available. The costs will be minimal, no plumbing as the existing facilities can be used and expanded. Simple house sized structures with art that visualize’s the feel of the music’s within. Headsets for sampling, rooms in various configurations so different styles and representative musician’s can be presented. Kansas City has an excellent jazz museum that can be used as a example, but broken up into small structures of less than 80' diameter. Five or six can be built right now, keeping as many trees as possible, promoting a relaxed and organic feel of community. Where people can mingle, have food and produce stands, and festivals on a regular basis. So we truly have Our Town, with the Towers as our Cathedral. The Art's are meant to be unified for an exaltation of mind, body, and soul, not separated and sterilized for investment and academic detachment.
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Artists can be commissioned, or nations brought in to decorate how they feel best to enrich their musical traditions. I have already started such art studies in my Judgment Chapel for the 2011 Venice Biennale. Based on the music of John Coltrane, specifically a Love Supreme, it would be but one wing of at least four with a central court for sampling music and mingling in a jazz pavilion. Parking will remain an issue, but the with the Metro Blue Line right next to the area, visitors will find it to be an almost seamless direct connect to MoLAA and LACMA. These two museums can sponsor tours and bring in groups on the line or in buses. Along with promotion of the described Festival’s of the America’s in the already constructed open courtyard behind the Towers. An alliance with MoLAA and LACMA must be made to promote conservation and public transport. And the entire city, and not just isolated pockets of culture, which leaves the vast majority out along with so much of the creative power of our people.
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This suggestion is but one way. However, something must be done, and now. This would be extremely inexpensive, no big architect firm involved. Just simple structure's that are typical of the nations involved, with differences shown to be of a common humanity. The Mingus Center kept for ticketing, and book and music store. Continue to show the Life of Rodia film, as well as others. And expand exhibits like the African musical instrument’s currently showing. The community center can continue to be used for classes and exhibits.
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As with all true creative art, this can change and evolve in time. Not be stagnant and rigid, for mingled ethnicity's, cultures and improvisation are the ways of our hemisphere. And a way for us to bond in common purpose. For Purpose is everything, and from which Art flows. This must be for us, by us, and of us. As the Towers were built for.
Nuestro Pueblo.
*****************************The Beginning*****************************
The Rev. Chip Murray, retired of the First AME in Los Angeles and nationally known from the aftermath of the Rodney King uprising, now a Senior Fellow at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture at USC, has bestowed on me the task of gathering our tribes. To bring churches, mosques, temples, and secular groups of all our people together, to form a pact as one supporting this holy site. For it is sacred, beyond any other in our nation. Only Yosemite, built by God, is more powerful an experience of eternity and creative power. For art is the meek, man made equivalent of God's forces. Attempting to follow the path of creation and passion, reflecting the life around us. As we define who we are, explore the World around us, and seek God, to find Purpose and live life as intensely, purely and humbly as we can.
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Monies are not sought; the eternal hand of reaching out for cash is not here. But it is held out for joining. To support and participate in this holy site, to use it as both Mr. Rodia wished, and in the spirit of giving and community he revealed. Organizations, secular and religious, can hold festivals here, and have one day a year their congregations come and visit the Towers. The admission price and fundraising from the music, cultural activities, foods, and service's going towards the Art Centers and Preservation funds.
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We must prove to those who hold the power, the money, and the self-interest of the business class that it is in the interest of all. Then the Getty, LACMA and MoLAA, foundations such as the Irvine, will know the importance of this site and be compelled to act. That we are One, and that Art has returned to being the unifier it always was. And that we hold a common faith in our humanity, world and God.
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How can we ask if we will not give? We must prove to ourselves our own worth, that the words Responsibility, Commitment, and Sacrifice still have meaning, and that we live our Word. A man's worth is in whom he communes with, what he does, and his word. Let us of faith in southern LA County, from the 10 Freeway to here in Long Beach, unite in common purpose to protect and use this gift to man, and monument to God. Let us be Men, and put aside childish things. Those things which divide, and of the individuals own selfish desire. We must prove to others our strength, our dedication, our love. It is time to gather the Tribes, and this is the place. -
Nuestro Pueblo.

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Contact me, and let us work together. Or we will fall, together

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donald@dfimagery.com

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Levels of Participation.

(The responses to this idea have been excellent, and suggestions great. A pamphlet will soon be available for downloading and printing for organizations.)

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1. Revealing to our congregations that Our Town exists, encouraging and arranging dates to visit. This alone should be enough to save the Art Centers with its $7 admission. With the DCA budget cuts, once the Centers gets their funding back from us, our children need to know its resources and utilize them. Kids need to be well rounded, and art and music develop their young minds and souls.

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2. Forming Nuestro Pueblo Council. Leaders bonding to create a larger force, to take it on to the monied institutions once it has been shown that this is part of our community, and that it is an essential work that demands preservation. Collecting funds through festivals and activities, it must be shown that we participate, and walk the walk.

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I will be the Town Coordinator, as appointed by Rev. Murray, for the actual site is small and can take only so many people at a time. To make sure we do not overlap our visitations, and can arrange group activities with the Department of Cultural Affairs, whose budget has been slashed. A non-profit fund will be set up, and when large enough to impress, will be revealed to those institutions that should be involved, LACMA, MoLAA, and especially the Getty.

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3. Once the Art Centers and Towers have been saved, we can develop the park. We must have reason's for people to come back, and prolong their visit. There wil be times when the Towers, Our Town's Cathedral, will be closed for restoration. To be fiancially viable more will be needed. Producing a quality book of the Towers would also bring in income and people from across the world, as incredibly none has ever been done. Forming the Music Museum of the America's would also redevelop the entire area. It must be run by those representing Nuestro Pueblo, and not taken away by the financial institutions. But run in partnership.

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Visit the official Towers site

http://www.wattstowers.us/

And write the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

http://www.culturela.org/

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This can be done. It is time.

Write me, and pdf,s of a flyer and brochure will be made available.

donald@dfimagery.com