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• 1 media/15-947.jpg media/15-947.jpg 2021-05-03T14:08:53-07:00 Central Ave. Beyond 5 Michael Massenburg
  43rd Street & S Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90011
  2001 plain 2021-05-18T15:53:29-07:00 2001 34.00577,-118.256474 Michael Massenburg is an artist who was born in San Diego and raised in Los Angeles. He created public and private art that was exhibited in several galleries and museums. Massenburg has said that he hopes to explore the issue of class, race, and culture by incorporating elements of decaying and thriving cityscapes in his artwork.
  
  Central Avenue was the epicenter of the Los Angeles music scene from the 1900s to 1950s, especially in jazz and rhythm and blues (R&B). It became a place of cultural flourishing for the African American community where people came to enjoy music and entertainment. By celebrating their culture, Central Avenue served as a way for Black people to regain a sense of pride and cultural self-expression following the Great Migration. Central Avenue remains an important musical space for Black people today as the Central Avenue Jazz Festival continues to acknowledge the cultural history of this area after twenty-seven years.  
  
  Massenburg’s booming cityscape depicts several jazz musicians in dynamic postures. In the top right, the words “Cab Calloway'' and “Club Alabam” appear. Cab Calloway was a famous jazz singer, dancer, and entertainer known for his lead role in a band. Club Alabam was an iconic jazz venue on Central Avenue where famous musicians performed and people gathered to enjoy the nightclub scene. Massenburg utilizes old, rustic colors to symbolize the past of Central avenue and contrasts it with bright colors to highlight the nightclub scene with a variety of musicians belting out with their instruments. The mural casts light on the contributions of Black musicians in building a cultural community on Central Avenue where Black people feel protected and valued in society.
  
  Written by Anthony Chang, c/o ‘24