10/11/2024
Oceanwide Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles gained attention earlier this year when graffiti artists covered nearly every window of the unfinished towers. Construction started in 2015 but stalled in 2019, leaving the luxury mega-development abandoned. Once tagged by local artists, the site became a new Los Angeles landmark, similar to abandoned buildings in other cities experiencing rapid change like Toronto, Miami and London.
Their work sparked debate: is it vandalism or art? Or maybe both?
Graffiti has always been a tool to stake a claim on public and private space. LA gave these artists the ideal canvas when its plan to create a luxury space for the rich turned into a hulking symbol of decay and neglect in the heart of downtown.
As we announce our new HQ, we’re inspired by these towers we pass daily. While Oceanwide may have been abandoned by fly-by-night venture capitalists, it was the creatives of this city who gave it new life.
The Towers Tee drops Friday, October 18th at 12 PM PST.
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