Los Angeles Artists Consider the Future after COVID

On a hot, windy day in Sylmar, California, artist Ms. Yellow tried to control her spray paint as she crafted a mural on a long concrete wall.

Gusts threatened the precision of her cascading shapes and bright, blended colors, and she stopped working every few minutes to wait out the wind.

“I don’t even know how to describe my style. It’s an extension of myself,” she said as she sprayed a perfect black crescent of paint. “It’s just my little weirdo, silly self. Whatever I feel, it’s on the wall.”

Ms. Yellow is one of four artists who worked with 11:11 Projects to design a mural that reflected the hopes, dreams, anxieties, and fears of young people two years into the COVID-19 pandemic. The project was one of several art activations across L.A. County supported by No Going Back LA (NGBLA), which the Committee for Greater LA created at the start of the pandemic to support the recovery of the county’s most marginalized communities.

Youth workshops led by Ms. Yellow and fellow artist Mr. B Baby inspired the composition, called Ancestral Healing. While teaching teens how to make their own art zines, the pair also had a chance to discuss issues surrounding mental health, generational trauma, identity, and finding one’s voice in a challenging world.

“Our belief is that when there’s a crisis, that’s when it’s time for artists to get to work,” said Erin Stone, cofounder and codirector of 11:11 Projects. “What these artists create is essential to recording the experiences of the public. That’s really what we’re doing here with this mural.”

The design begins with a joyful sun shining over children and an assortment of fantastical creatures and concludes with the phrase “We deserve to be heard.” For youth and for the artists, having a voice in their future, however that voice may be expressed, is an enduring theme. The mural’s kaleidoscopic colors can’t be missed by passing drivers on Glenoaks Boulevard and are symbolic for the artists.

“I feel like I’ve always been drawn to all the bright colors that I’ve seen in Mexico and Puerto Rico,” said Mr. B Baby. “This doll that I’ve drawn, Maria, is a doll that is common in Mexico that the women and men craft. So, I always include her as a representation of my inner child and to represent my culture.”

When the pandemic prevented gatherings and community engagement, the artists turned to their work as an outlet. The painting is a permanent presence, one they hope will connect with viewers.

“I think artistry is my most important venue to express and help other people express their concerns and feelings,” said Ahlise Vela, one of the mural artists. “Because when they can’t go to rallies, we can put up something like this mural, and people can drive by and be like: ‘Oh yeah. That resonates with me.’”