LOS ANGELES ― Caltrans and the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs today celebrated three major new murals in South Los Angeles. Installed near the on- and off-ramps for Interstate 110 (I-110), the murals feature poignant depictions of the historical Los Angeles institutions of Wrigley Field and the Dunbar Hotel, as well as striking portraits of Martin Luther King Jr., Billie Holiday, and the other notable figures who visited them.
The $2.89 million beautification project was funded by Governor Gavin Newsom’s Clean California program – a sweeping $1.2 billion, multiyear cleanup effort led by Caltrans to remove trash, create thousands of jobs and engage communities to transform public spaces. The project also includes sustainable landscaping and fencing improvements, completed in 2024, along seven miles of the I-110 corridor.
“In line with Clean California’s goals to beautify and restore pride in our communities, these murals along I-110 provide a stunning and accessible way to preserve and honor South Los Angeles’ history and culture,” said Caltrans District 7 Director Gloria Roberts.
“Jazz on the Field” by artist MisterAlek graces a wall at 43rd Street and Grand Avenue, and “Safe Travels” by artist Bodeck Luna is featured at 43rd and Flower streets. A third mural, “South Central Strong” by artist Moses Ball is scheduled for installation in spring 2026 at Colden Avenue and Flower Street.
"The three artists selected for these commissions—Moses Ball, Mister Alek, and Bodeck Luna—represent excellent examples of the talented artistry that we have here in Los Angeles,” said Daniel Tarica, General Manager, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. “Creativity is central to our city's identity, and murals like these give our artists the opportunity to share their creative vision and beautify our cityscape. Simultaneously the work inspires the public and connects our communities to the region's rich and diverse cultural history."
“Jazz on the Field” by artist MisterAlek celebrates the cultural heritage of Wrigley Field, a ballpark formerly located at 425 E. 42nd Place, and The Dunbar Hotel at 4225 S. Central Avenue—both a short distance from the mural site.
Before it was demolished in 1969, Wrigley Field was home to the Los Angeles Angels and Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League. It was also a venue for boxing events, The Calvacade of Jazz in the 1940s and 1950s, and the historic Los Angeles Freedom Rally on May 26, 1963, when Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addressed a crowd of nearly 40,000 people during the civil rights movement. The Dunbar Hotel was a hub for Los Angeles’ jazz scene with artists such as Etta James and Louis Armstrong.
Speaking on his goals for this mural, MisterAlek said, “The main purpose is to bring back history that’s lost, to remind us where we come from and where all this started. We’re right in front of West Vernon Elementary and hopefully this will inspire them—the whole point [is] to be able to educate and inspire the new generation.”
A short walk across the 43rd Street bridge over I-110 brings pedestrians to “Safe Travels” by artist Bodeck Luna at the corner of 43rd and Flower Streets. Painted in Luna’s favored hues of green and purple, “Safe Travels” brings focus to Black families traveling in Los Angeles, under the guidance of Victor H. Green’s “Green Book,” a national travel guide first published in 1936 that assisted many Black Americans navigate oppression during the Jim Crow Era. A portrait of Green is seen on the right side of the mural.
The mural also references The Dunbar Hotel, an entry in the “Green Book” as an anchor for traveling musicians and the Black community, with portraits of Billie Holiday and Charlie Parker who frequented the hotel. The depiction of a blackberry branch above Holiday and Parker is a nod to Wallace Thurman’s novel, “The Blacker the Berry” which explores the harsh conditions and prejudices experienced by Black Americans.
Luna said he was drawn to the “Green Book” themed call for art, noting the importance of continuing to teach the next generation about these stories and struggles in American history.
“I felt inspired to preserve history, and I wanted to be instrumental in using my talent to depict this narrative of resilience,” Luna said.
Currently in progress is “South Central Strong” at Colden Avenue and Flower Street. The mural recognizes South Central L.A.’s struggles with issues such as child trafficking as well as the community’s underlying strength and resilience to combat those issues. Artist Moses Ball seeks to bring everyday community heroes to light with portraits of figures such as Ron Finley, an urban gardening activist known for The Ron Finley Project. Other important themes representative of the human condition are also featured, including a mourning mother, fatherhood, the guardianship over younger siblings, and the guidance of elders, among other archetypes.
“In an environment where we're sometimes afraid to speak out against dangers, I hope this mural stands as a testament that we will boldly protect our children and young women in our families,” Moses Ball said.
In addition to murals, the beautification project featured landscaping improvements completed in 2024 by Diversified Landscape Co. at the intersections of Century Boulevard, Manchester Avenue, 83rd Street, Florence Avenue, Gage Avenue, Vermont Avenue, and other locations of the I-110 corridor.
Additional I-110 improvements include:
- 62,655 drought-tolerant plants
- Approximately 16,000 square feet of rock blanket paving and 5,700 square feet of gravel mulch added to on and off ramps and medians for a low maintenance ground covering
- Over 8,000 cubic yards of wood mulch to reduce soil erosion
- New irrigation systems
- 1,400 linear feet of new fencing
Photos of Murals
The mural “Jazz on the Field” by artist MisterAlek at 43rd Street and Grand Ave in Los Angeles.
The mural “Safe Travels” by artist Bodeck Luna at 43rd Street and Flower Street in Los Angeles.
This project is just one of 317 Clean California projects beautifying communities throughout the state. Since launching Clean California in July 2021, Caltrans and its local partners have picked up more than 3.5 million cubic yards of litter from highways and public spaces – the equivalent of filling about 165,000 garbage trucks with debris and trash.
Clean California substantially increased the department’s previous trash collection efforts. Caltrans has hosted more than 650 free dump days in communities throughout the state – resulting in the collection of 15,500-plus mattresses and 57,000 tires. The initiative has enlisted more than 72,000 community clean-up volunteers and created 18,267 jobs, including positions for individuals who were formerly incarcerated, on probation, or experiencing housing insecurity.
Visit CleanCA.com to learn more about how Clean California is transforming communities and how you can get involved. For more information on current Clean California projects in District 7, visit dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-7/district-7-programs/d7-clean-california.