Photos by Ariana Gastelum.
Installation has begun to transform five midway crosswalks on Pine Avenue between First Street and Seventh Street into eye-catching works of art, which will be completed March 30.
Each mural recognizes the legacy of human enterprise during the first century of Long Beach development while acknowledging the importance of the marine environment along the Long Beach coast.
Artist Hataya Tubtim designed two images in a mural for each crosswalk so that pedestrians heading south towards the ocean will see marine life, and those traveling northbound will see the history of Long Beach innovations.
“It’s to remind ourselves that there’s other community members that we’re living amongst these animals, these nonhumans,” Tubtim told the Post. “Our activities and our progress will always be hand-in-hand in what impacts them as well. So, I think it’s good to look up in the skies or be aware of what else or who else is living around us.”
The five works are called “Railroad and Northern Anchovy,” “Port and Pacific Rock Crab,” “Spruce Goose and Brown Pelican,” “Grand Prix and Leopard Shark” and “Metro and Bat Ray.”
The Downtown Long Beach Alliance (DLBA) discussed the idea to implement art into the crosswalks about two years ago, Sean Warner, DLBA placemaking manager, told the Post. In addition, each piece will also have a caption with a fact about every icon.
“I’m so excited this is finally on the ground,” he said. “We’ll be finished with this by the end of the week.”
Learn more information about each mural here.