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Watts Towers Arts Center
Rating Details »
Categories: Landmarks & Historical Buildings, Local Flavor [Edit]
Neighborhood: Watts1727 E 107th St
Los Angeles, CA 90002
(213) 847-4646
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
32 reviews for Watts Towers Arts Center
When we were driving up to Watts Towers and I saw these big metal and concrete Christmas tree-type things for the first time my initial impression was: "Um, that's cool...I guess."
However, after examining them more closely and taking the fascinating tour I had a much better appreciation of how unique Watts Towers truly are. They have so much history and it's pretty incredible that one man made them all by himself with no help whatsoever.
In fact, Watts Towners actually ended up being one of my favorite things I saw in LA. I think the pictures don't really do them justice, you just have to see them for yourself and you MUST go on the tour!
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With the neighboring communities disintegrating faster with each passing year, we still found relatively secure parking and toured these bizarre, mind-boggling edifices of a determined, if misguided man of dreams. I say "misguided" only in that had he built these structures in another location or used his energies on something not quite so useless, he may have really been onto something. Instead, we see his version of a concrete, steel and glass sand castle that once built was left to the vagaries of time and ruined neighborhood tides. Simon Rodia built them, turned his back and walked away, never to return.
So the locals were left in custody of the towers to do with as they saw fit. And fortunately, some saw hope in their standing, a symbol of one man's odd imagination while other's saw a tourist site where it now holds status as a monument. Would Rodia give a shit? Probably not. He'd probably see what's become of the 'hood, hum a few bars from Hendrix's "Castles Made of Sand" and wave a "Ciao!"
Nevertheless, it's something to see at least once (I've been here 4 times). Bring a camera and an open mind but I highly recommend you egress the area before dark.
P.S., with my mask, wig and attitude, no bad guys dared molest us
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If there was ever a reason to go to South Central, it's for the burgers and BBQ. Nothing like the taste of a freshly cooked piece of meat done good on a cut drum barrel.
If there's a second reason to go, it's to see this testament of the human spirit and will to build something up in defiance of everyone else.
It's really a sight to see and it's there for all to gaze. Yet it's seldom ever looked at in this town where we forget all about what's south of Downtown..
I suppose it takes a bold Italian to create something like this. Sabato "Simon" Rodia decided, like any short person would, to compensate. Some people compensate by getting huge trucks, getting platforms and putting their hair up. This man decided to build a tall tower.
This slightly smaller than 5 foot tall man gathered his tools by paying the local kids pennies to gather scrap metal and he went to work with concrete and attaching pieces on the rail road. Using a window washer belt he started building and climbed up to make the structure reach 99 feet. Pretty tall for a single handed man made tower like this.
As a true sign of how strange this place is, Rodia sold the property to a friend for a buck. Which for 1950's money got him a trolly ride into town, a steak dinner, a shoe shine and a good spin with a taxi dancer. Yes, truly those were the days.
At one point the city was going to tear down this amazingly interesting complex. So perhaps you shouldn't over look some amazing art and stop by to see this sight.
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In Gardena there's a little church where trombone players gather under the name "Slide FX" to rock out some jazz tunes. It's quite fun, and I go almost whenever they call me (yes, I'm a trombonist myself).
Anyway, after one rehearsal a friend and I tried to find an open Denny's - in Watts. It wasn't a 24 hour place. At 10:00 pm they were closing up and gating the whole business park. So my friend and I followed the signs to see Watts Towers - since I'd heard lots about them from an art-loving friend, but never actually seen them myself.
Pretty spectacular! Go see!
Alisha
P.S. I have had some friends who got there, but were strangely warned to leave... gang activity???
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The Watts Towers is a motivational piece of Art that sits in the heart of Los Angeles.
I spent my childhood in this part of Los Angeles and these Towers represents the area and the people of Los Angeles very well.
Simon Rodia, the man who built the towers with junk and trash and scrap medal he found on the train tracks and in the scrap yards created something that's bigger than the Towers themselves.
Simon Rodia created victory, hope, and treasure when he dedicated his life to completing this project.
With the naked eye the common village idiot would just see trash stacked up in the sky, but if you look harder with your heart you will see that one man turned what others looked at as trash into something else, something greater than what everyone envisioned it to be. Something Beautiful.
It's the story of Watts.
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Italian immigrant Simon Rodia built 99 feet tall towers using nothing but his hands, basic tools, scrap metal, spare porcelain, and tile... with no design plans or blueprints.
...I had to call IKEA customer support when I couldn't figure why I had assembled my nightstand upside-down. ("Um *pause*, did you follow the pictures sir? They're pretty self-explanatory. We test all our instructional diagrams on Scandinavian children to ensure ease of understanding.")
He did this in his spare time when he wasn't working a full schedule at the local pottery factory.
...My spare time productivity amounts to contributing to Molson-Coors' bottom line and deleting my roommates' saved "Tori & Dean: Inn Love" episodes off the DVR. F*cking Oxygen network and living with chicks...
He was known to walk up and down the Pacific Electric railroad tracks that parallel Wilmington Ave, sometimes going as far as 20 miles to find the scrap steel girders he needed.
...I was pissed that I had to drive all the way to the Pavilions on Wilshire when I walked into Whole Foods on San Vicente and learned all that $20 would get me was a few slices of hormone-free turkey and a crossword puzzle.
He integrated every color of porcelain or glass he could find.
...I painted my room one color this weekend and spilled a bucket on my foot. *sad face*
He did this all over the course of 33 years.
...I'm still stuck on the Mezzanine floor of the Puzz-3D Empire State Building Aunty Lucy gave me for Christmas in the 6th grade.
In short, go to Watts Towers if you want to feel like you've done nothing with your life.
I know, that's not exactly a rousing endorsement. And when you first pull up, you won't exactly be moved. "That's... it? THOSE are the Watts Towers?"
It's no Eiffel Tower to be sure. But learning a little bit of history provides some more color. Like the fact that Watts was much the same in Rodia's time as we know it today: battered, defeated, sullen. Rodia, thinking Watts deserved better, wanted to give his community something they could be proud of. And so for 33 years, he gave his life to a project that came about as a mere whim. Given a little context, Watts Towers might as well be 10 times as tall.
The irony of the Towers is almost literary in its scope. Here you have this neighborhood that's been marginalized by gangland shootings, scenes of yellow police on the 11 o'clock news... composed of homes which all have bars reinforcing their windows and doors. A place known for its utter despair.
Yet amidst all this hopelessness, in the very heart of in fact, stands a cluster of towers made by a single man and his bare hands that represents the very essence of hope itself.
Watts Towers are by no means pretty. But they're undeniably beautiful.
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Caravaned (is that the spelling?) to Watts Towers after Hawkins House of Heartattacks. :)
Got lost for a second but we found it after making a hard right turn. It's in the middle of a neighborhood. What the F? I had no idea!! I had always heard about the Watts Towers but knew nothing about it and had never seen it.
We got to the towers and my first reaction was "Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat's it??? Seriously?" Probably not the best reaction but I didn't know what to expect.
I hadn't used the restroom at H3 so I REALLLLLLY needed to go. That's how I found and ended up inside the Watts Towers Art Center.
The staff is very friendly. There is a Watts Tower tour that you can go on. They showed us a video about the history of the Towers. There I learned to appreciate the Towers for what they are. Wow. One man. 30 years. Pieces he found everywhere. He only used a few tools and did everything by hand. Wanted to build something for people to come to his community and leave a mark on the world. Very respectable. Inspiring.
:D
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Absolutely stunning. What a great representation of the neighborhood. It is unbelievable and inexplicable how one man with limited supplies could do this on his own. This is definitely worth seeing at least once. The masterful artpiece is fenced in and they have the entire background story available for you on various blocks. Don't be intimidated to go to South Central Los Angeles. During the day, it's generally safe and there are at least a handful of tourists admiring this beautiful piece of work.
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Awe inspiring work of perserverence. The Watts Towers are one of those great testaments to man's ability to create something beautiful and to stick to the conviction that his idea would be worth the effort.
That said, we drove out to the towers and discovered that they are being renovated, ie; closed to the public. We tagged along on the end of the tour after reading all the signs and infomation about Simon Rodia, a very determined man. But we didn't actually go in the park to see the towers. So now we'll have to go back another time for a closer look.
Still, I couldn't help but be impressed by the vision that Mr. Rodia had in collecting all his odds and ends and shaping them into something legendary. This is one place I am happy to have seen.
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At first when you arrive, you feel a bit underwhelmed. I came here for this? But as you get closer and as close as you can get, you begin to see how much effort this took. And all by one man.
Take time to read the signs of the gate explaining the history of the tower and its creator.
As I walked though, it reminded me of Dr. Seuss.
I'm have a problem and I'm just gonna throw it out to the Yelp world: I have GPSD. I'm GPS dependent. I will not leave a parking lot without it being on.
Ironically, my GPS Is also retarded - I wanted it to take me to the Beverly Center using side streets and it takes me into the heart of Watts. WTF. During my GPS tour of Watts, I briefly saw these huge spires in the distance, but didn't give them a second thought.
The day after the above GPS fiasco, a group of yelpers decided to go to the Watts Towers after gorging ourselves on burgers. Guess where we ended up? Right to those spires that my GPS had shown me the day before, and I was able to get to know those towers on a deeper level than just "What the hell is that??"
These towers that loom over you only have a foundation of 4 feet deep and are created of just pieces of scrap metal, coat hangers, glass and tile, and cement. But somehow, they've survived almost 90 years against the elements and that, by itself, is damn impressive. We were able to catch one of the docent tours of the towers (which I highly recommend - our tour guide was friendly, informative, and well educated about the Watts Towers), but as they are currently enclosed for restoration purposes, we couldn't really get a good look at the inside of the towers. (I'm actually contemplating coming back when they're open to the public...just to see it in person.)
If you have time, I'd also suggest going into the art center right next door - they have a 20 minute video about the history of the towers (it's pretty interesting albeit a bit dated), as well as artist and community exhibitions.
The towers may not be everyone's cup of tea but I'd suggest checking it out at least once. I mean, it's a historical landmark of Los Angeles, the largest piece of artwork made by one man, and even though my first impression may not have been the best, I personally really enjoyed the experience.
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Wow, only 15 reviews for Watts Towers?! Lame! I felt ashamed as I've lived in LA for a year and a half and hadn't visited yet!
Anyway, remedied that last week. Drove down on a Tuesday morning with my visiting bestest friend. Unfortunately, no tours offered on Tuesday, so we wandered the museum, watched a documentary about Rodia and chatted with a woman (the curator?) before checking out the towers themselves.
Learning about Simon Rodia was super-fun (he only bathed once a month... in ALCOHOL!), and the towers were stunning. So, go already.
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In 'Ricochet' with Denzel Washington and John Lithgow there is this scene with the Watts Towers. Since that moment, believe it or not, I needed to see it. Well it took me three years to go, and I am happy I went.
Now, I do not have to be afraid that when my 'bucket list' will be made, the Watts Towers will be included.
Impressive piece of art, that's all I have to say, however I would not pay $7.00 for a tour. Make sure you go by daylight, piece of art or not, it is still in Watts, unless you carry your own piece.
If you want to be awed and impressed by one's man perseverance, than you truly should take the time to visit Watts Towers. Simon Rodia, using only simple tile-setter's tools and a window washer's belt and buckle, spent 33 years constructing the Watts Towers.
Considering that the Watts Towers consists of nine major sculptural forms made of steel and covered with mortar embedded with pieces of ceramic tile, pottery shards, sea shells, and broken glass, you can't help but be amazed.
By visiting the Watts Tower and taking a tour, not only do you get to see these beautiful structures in person, you'll also get to hear some interesting personal stories about Simon Rodia, himself. For example, one tidbit I learned is that Simon would actually pay the children in the neighborhood for any broken china plate that they would bring to him. I'm sure that made for many an unhappy mother.
Check out the pics of when I went there in 2005 below:
http://www.flickr.com/...
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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that certainly applies to the Watts Towers. If you have ever visited Barcelona and visited Gaudi's public sculptures and liked them, then you'll probably like the Watts Towers.
I've been wanting to visit the towers for many years, but wasn't quite sure where it was. A few months ago, while I was stuck in traffic on the 105, I saw the exit sign for it and made a mental note. Last month, my bf and I gave it a visit on a Saturday. I made sure to call ahead that they were open and giving tours.
The place is pretty easy to locate. Its Watts, but the neighborhood isn't scary. I wouldn't be afraid of driving down this neighborhood during the evening. The 8 mile district of Detroit is more intimidating. I read about a year ago that they had demolished the parking lot to make room for the new arts center, but parking was plenty in this residential neighborhood. The area is also surprisingly clean of graffiti. There's a security guard that patrols the premises during the hours of operation.
We started our tour at the current site of the arts center. I purchased the tickets which were around $8 for an adult. We then spent some time inside the center perusing the displayed artwork. My bf and I liked the shovels were decorated with tile, paint and bling. There was also a tiled mosaic that we both agreed looked really nice. Afterward we watched the 15 minute video filmed when Mr. Rodia was almost done constructing the towers. The video quality is okay, given how old it is, but we both felt it should have been updated since portions of the tape had a strong glare to it. Its remarkable that a petite man like Rodia was able to construct the towers starting in his 40's.
Afterward, we began our tour. As we waited for our tour to start, I noticed a rich blond woman and her children walk out of the complex and they looked pleased. The thought made me happy knowing that visitors weren't limited to a particular socioeconomic demographic. I can't recall the name of our guide, but he was very nice and pleasant. The tour itself lasts for about 10 or 15 minutes, but you can ask as many questions as you want and the guide will answer your questions. The tours are 30 minutes each though, so its best to take as many pics as you can once the guide is done speaking.
I didn't realize that the Watts Towers was built for the entire neighborhood to enjoy. There was even a baptismal font and reception area for the neighborhood to gather in. Rodia really wanted this to be the focal point for the neighborhood, which is reflected in the name he christened it with, "Nuestra Puebla". You also get a bit of a time capsule effect since the 7up and soda bottles that Rodia used to decorate the structures were clearly manufactured back in 1930's and 40's.
If I had superglue and bits and pieces of ceramic and seashells, I probably wouldn't be able to resist trying to patch up some of the pieces that have crumbled or fallen off in time. I think the city or state should pay some art restorers to replace the missing pieces. Preservationist purists might decry such a move, but Rodia's work certainly wasn't meant to be pure or uniform. If anything, I think he would have been content knowing that the place would be updated and restored to help it fend off the ravages of time.
The potted plants also looked a bit out of place. They should have used pottery with the broken tile work designs as well as succulents and other odd looking plants with geometric shapes to match the look and color of the Towers.
Despite these minor complaints, my bf and I really enjoyed the tour. We were a bit saddened to find that because of budget cuts, the place is only open Fridays to Sundays. There's a different guide for each day they are open. Best time to visit is probably during mid morning when they open, or later in the afternoon. The noon sun can be harsh in this area, especially during the summer, and you want the sun at a certain angle to better frame the structures to appreciate all the geometric shapes.
I know this place isn't for everyone, but I firmly believe it belongs in the places to see list when visiting LA. Even in such a demonized area like Watts, true beauty and art can exist.
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South Coast Plaza, 3rd Street Promenade, Venice Beach, the Getty, Melrose....how many more times can you go to these places before it all starts to feel like Disneyland?
If you're looking to have an alternative LA experience and want to see something impressive, or perhaps hear a good story about this city that's not on the star maps tour, then by all means check out the Watts Towers.
I know what some of you are thinking: the Watts Towers? Its in Watts! Are you fucking crazy?
No i'm not. Now I know that Watts isn't Century City but if you get over your hood paranoia you'll see that you won't get shanked or shot just for driving through Watts. As long as you stay out of the projects and keep your purple lakers' bandannas at home, you will be fine venturing to the towers in the middle of the day.
We went there one Saturday afternoon and were fortunate enough to catch the full tour. I don't want to spoil it, but this manmade structure really made an impression on us. If you appreciate craftsmanship and the unlimited potential of human imagination, the towers are really a neat spectacle to examine. This was in the middle of Watts, but here I was curiously taking everything in like it was Gaudi's Parque Guell in Barcelona. The tour guide was great and genuinely appreciated the enthusiasm that visitors showed for this historic structure.
Its not enough to see this monument in the backdrop of a Tyrese video. Get off the beaten path and take a visit down to Watts!
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Like so many things in life, I discovered the Watts Towers by sheer chance--when I worked at the library back in college and someone returned a lavishly illustrated coffee table book on them and it was a slow enough day that I was able to follow my curiosity for a good hour or so. Suffice to say that what I learned in that book burned the Watts Towers into my mind forever, and it was truly humbling to finally see them in person this past weekend. The other reviews here will have already given you the general gist, so I'll try to avoid redundancy and only add useful comments.
First of all, a couple corrections to Brad's comments: the two tallest towers are well over 50 feet high, measuring 99.5 feet and 97 feet respectively. Nitpicky, perhaps, but it adds dramatically to one's appreciation of Rodia's determination and daring to realize just how high up he was when building these...a little (5'4") guy nearly 100 feet up and working without any scaffolding is bound to impress. It's true that Rodia stood upon his towers as he built them, with only a homemade window washer's belt to secure himself. But nevermind the daredevil stuff--it's the sheer folk-art poetry and majesty of his creation that will get you, the intricacy and homespun loveliness, the sheer amount of work and devotion it took to create this sculpture garden. Breathtaking.
On another note, I have to insist on toning down the fear-mongering about this neighborhood. I don't doubt that Watts can be dangerous and it may be true that Crips & Bloods are in the vicinity, but from what I could see this particular area is simply a run-down working class neighborhood and I never felt in any danger there. That being said, I wouldn't be excited to go exploring further, but with a little research and online mapping, it's not at all hard to get in and get out.
As for access--it's true that one needs to pay ($7) for a guided tour in order to see Rodia's works, but the tour guides seem to be delightful people who genuinely care about the Towers and are very friendly and knowledgeable. The two exhibits I saw in the Arts Center were a nice added bonus, as was the 12 minute video made back in the 50s when Rodia was nearly done with his creation. It must be admitted, though, that tours are only available at certain times of the week--every half-hour, roughly from mid-morning to mid-afternoon Friday through Sunday--so plan accordingly or you'll end up peeking through the fence to see what you can. With a little preparation, though, it's a trip that will more than repay your time--my sister and I were simply mesmerized and awed as we strolled around taking it all in. Who'd'a thunk one might make a pilgrimage to LA?
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These towers get 5 stars because of what they represent. One man's passion and dedication raised them, like NitWit Ridge in Cambria CA, or like Wing's Castle in upstate NY. The difference between Rodia's towers and those places in that these are plunked down in the middle of downtown LA. It's an amazing place. Rodia built them as a thank-you to America. When asked why he did it, he said simply that America had been good to him. Imagine someone doing that now. These towers are the product of a working man, out of his imagination, using what he had to work with, and they are an inspiration to anyone who wants to see what drive and perseverance can do. I found it exceptionally moving.
I drove my little white self in my rental car in and out without a care in the world one Tuesday afternoon. There were no tours (I knew that ahead of time), but I lingered for almost an hour looking around. Not a soul was on the street. The neighborhood looked tidy and poor. I didn't fear for my life. I didn't even think about it. People have more important things to do than mug me. Just go, don't worry so much.
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I visited the Watts Towers about a year and a half ago. Unfortunately I arrived at a time when there was no tour, and the Arts Center was closed. It was still worth it to see the towers from the outside, though. It is really fantastical looking and to think that it was all created by one man, over a period of many years. I would recommend taking a tour or reading up on the story of this icon before you see it - understanding the history of this monument will add to your appreciation of it. I've posted photos of the towers, the art center, and the train station here: http://profile.imeem.c...
Oh, I forgot to mention that every year the Arts Center hosts a two day jazz festival.
A recent Getty Center email and a page on the LA Conservancy web site imply that the Watts Towers will be discussed during a free Panel Discussion on Mosaics Conservation at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades on March 8, 2007. You can get your tickets here: https://secure2.convio...
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I remember watching the movie Colors with Sean Penn and there was a police car chase scene that ended with the chasee running into the towers with the whole piece exploding in flames.
It's good it didnt because this one man piece is a true work of art. Skye is correct that it does have allusions to Gaudi's Sagrada. Go show your support and donate.
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I cannot really recommend going into one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the US to see 50 foot towers of steel, junk, and bottle caps. Unless of course you want to.
For me, the risk was the reward.
You really have to know your streets here of you may get got like that nice American Family that got lost in Watts and well if you wanna know what happens you will have to watch the movie 'Gang Tapes' (think Blair Witch meets Menace II Society)
Do not let the term Arts Center fool you. These towers are literally in a neighborhood, one that you are not welcome in; and betwixt two gangs, closest to Grape Street Crips. Me driving in a Red SUV=bad idea, but part of the joy.
I actually wrote a 4 page expo on my journey to the Watts Towers, but for the Yelp version and as not to impute anyone, let me just say that if you really want to see the Watts Towers, go rent Boyz in the Hood. If you get tempted like I did, but just want a glimpse, you can actually see it off the 105 by the Alameda exit looking northward. If you want the whole nine (millimeter) then enjoy and good luck.
Personally, I was really shocked to see these Towers in person and not in Watts Riots 1965 footage. It was amazing to be face to face with these things.
As for the structures themselves, the bottom quadrant was decorated with random color and contained bottle caps and other found objects wedged in the steel. One thing I did find out though is that the architect Simon Rodia never returned to see his work. Go here and you may you find out why, though to be honest, there is something about these Towers that I found so endearing.
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Hands-down the best garbage dump in LA.
I have been touring the region's garbage dumps recently, and I have to say that nowhere else is garbage presented so tastefully than at the Watts Towers. Whereas traditional garbage architecture calls for layered mounds reminiscent of the tired Buckminster Fuller geodesics, the mad genius behind the Watts Towers (Simon Rodia) opted to embed his garbage in a towering scaffold of concrete and rebar, calling to mind images of Hell or a post-nuclear holocaust. His neighbors' lack of artistic vision caused them to repeatedly call for the demolition of what they considered an eyesore, but fortunately there were enough afficionados of garbage art out there to scuttle any such plans.
I believe that you would have to travel all the way to New York City to find a comparable architecturally-significant structure made of garbage.
Next time you visit, I recommend taking a full garbage can and dump it on the grounds to make your contribution to the art that is the Watts Towers.
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I was lucky to drive into work in WATTS and see the towers outside my office...
don't be scared of the hood and visit this place. do your research, read up on rodia, then visit this place. the art center will reinforce what you learned. if you're lucky, you'll find someone hanging out in the park who was from that era, and share some stories...
immerse yourself in LA culture, and visit Watts. don't fall for the negative undertones given to this city. Watts is a beautiful place. Just don't drive around after 7pm unless you live there. =)
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Quite possibly the best work of art in america. More people should go see simon rodia's towers, and the city should encourage them to do so. its lamentable that many people won't ever see these simply because they're down in watts, the scary ghetto. If thats your mentality, then its your loss...
This cat Rodia was a mad genius. perhaps this can be attributed to the shallowness of my character, but i can't imagine being devoted to ANYTHING for as long as he spent on those towers, and i'm still amazed at the ingenuity involved in piecing together all this random shit which turned out to be this strangely beautiful, ubiquitous thing.
Like some other reviews said, be cool, be smart, be respectful, and maybe mapquest where you're going. And as much as i don't believe anyone should be afraid to be here, the site is pretty close to the projects so be wary after dark.
We paid to take the guided tour and it was completely worth it! Our guide pointed out little oddities of the towers and surrounding art work so we got hear a little back story on everything.
Also worth visiting is the art gallery. On our visit, they were displaying feminine interpretations of Watts Towers using ceramics. This is an inherently interesting premise as the Towers themselves are a very masculine creation. They're the work of one man, who clearly had his demons to wrestle, and in the end he ended up adding several phallic symbols to the south L.A. skyline.
The Towers and Arts Center complex is small. It's squeezed right in the middle of a residential neighborhood, but we didn't have any problem finding street parking on a Saturday morning.
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A lot of people won't like me giving the towers only one star, but perhaps I can save a few people a few hours before they waste it coming to see the towers.
I have heard about the towers for years, I read all the glowing reviews of the place, the man, the legend, the whole enchilada, so I went there expecting to be impressed. I wasn't. (and yes, I took the tour)
Why does this place get the glowing reviews that it does? Well we live in a time of Political Correctness and it's seen as not 'enlightened' or not 'progressive' if you disagree with group think --- so perhaps this is why people aren't willing to say what this is, a piece of junk that anywhere else in pretty much any city would have been torn down long ago as an eyesore --- and it is indeed an eyesore. (it actually was supposed to be torn down at one point).
Why am I supposed to be impressed, anyone with too much time on their hands and little creative talent could do the same thing --- it's just cement and trash thrown together. (too bad Rodia didn't construct it in Watts today, he would have no trouble finding construction materials)
So if you think of yourself as avant-garde and disagree with me --- flame away, yes one man's trash is truly another man's treasure, but here is a dissenting opinion from the cool-aide drinkers that's calling this what this is, a big hunk of trash. Perhaps the city dump should get some people to write glowing reviews to improve their public perception.
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Cool!
A southern California landmark it is located right in the middle of a neighborhood. If your interested in art at all, it is a must to see in person and to learn about Simon Rodia and why he started this huge structure. Its definitely an original story and original piece of work. The watts tower art center who helps preserve this piece is also helping to keep art alive with the promotion of new artists. If your in southern California it's an interesting and satisfying trip to explore this landmark.
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Ghetto Gaudi in the best possible way. A must-see for anyone who lives in LA and a fantastic destination for visitors. Michael T's review is worth a read if you want the details. But the most important thing you should take from it is this: TAKE THE TOUR. Our guide was amazing -- not just thorough, but truly a gem. She had a great attitude and gave us plenty of time to explore on our own, answering all of our questions and never making us feel rushed. Since you're already there, take the time to watch the film about the towers and peruse the art in the welcome center. Don't forget to ask for a free pop-up postcard. (I wanted to send it to a friend, but I can't bear to part with it.) Be a good citizen and SUPPORT THIS TREASURE!
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The Watts towers are truly amazing. It's true, you can appreciate some of the beauty for free from the outside, but for only $7 (and kids are free), you can get inside the thing and really see and learn what it's all about. Plus your $7 goes to helping to maintain and preserve the towers, something that the state has not worked too hard at, so it's sort of up to a dedicated group of locals. Our guide was prolific. He gave us so much background information and enhanced our view of the towers with a philosophical bent as well. It was a joy to be there, and I plan to return often. I hope all Angelenos and visitors will make a point to visit!
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One of my favorite spots in LA! The tours make it so much more interesting! They occasionally have drum circles in the park.
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I like places I can just drive to, look at for 10 minutes, and leave. This is one of those places that makes an outing like that really satisfying.
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