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Bordering on clover, across the tracks from rosemary
By Jason Dietrich
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Redondo Beach plant artist Arzu Kosar waters the South Bay on her representative map of Los Angeles County. |
For a mapper of cities, Redondo Beach artist Arzu Kosar has a pretty relaxed attitude about the effect time will have on her work. She just shrugs her shoulders.
"It'll be interesting to see what happens."
But then Kosar's maps are made of plants, and the plant world is constantly in a state of flux. The strength of the sun, last night's rain or a frolicking dog could wipe out entire neighborhoods.
To come up with the data for her latest work, now on display at the Angel's Gate Cultural Center in San Pedro, Kosar researched demographic and statistical data on areas of Los Angeles County. Based on that data she chose one of four different plant types to represent the county's major population groups.
Most of the Westside and areas like Sherman Oaks are planted with a celosia, a flowering plant Kosar chose because it loves sunlight and features bizarre, brilliantly colored vertical flower clusters. The valley and a few other areas were planted with festuga, a plant that prefers some shade, but can live in the sun, needs little water and grows in clumps.
"At first you're supposed to think it's beautiful, but when you've had a chance to think about it, it isn't beautiful at all," Kosar said.
Borders, and how they affect the people living around them are the subject of most of her work. As the sun and ocean breezes work upon the installation, lines between the species will begin to blur and some of the native species may begin to return. Plants species, like demographics, are constantly in a state of ebb and flow, and Kosar is painfully aware of the irony of her work. She isn't immune to the effects of lines drawn in the sand.
"On one hand I'm here weeding this thing to perpetuate this structure. But I didn't create the data I used to map the installation, I may not even agree with it, but here I am, recreating it."
The exhibit runs through Sept. 3 at the Angel's Gate Cultural Center in San Pedro. Call 519-0936. ER