Jan 18, 2017 First pilgrimage to the Watts Towers
There are older landmarks around Los Angeles, ones that are more grand or important. But is there anyplace more soulful or inspiring than Watts Towers?
Entirely built by the hands of the humble but unstoppable construction worker, Simon Rodia’s tricked-out home is dedicated to his neighborhood (“Nuestro Pueblo”) but is also an unmistakable tribute to the individual spirit.
Using only simple tools and pieces of scrap, the Italian immigrant built the 18 intertwined structures in his spare time over 34 years. In 1955, he gave away the property to a neighbor and moved to Martinez, CA, near San Francisco.
When threatened by neglect and demolition, the community gathered to protect the Watts Towers as a local landmark, a source of pride for the underserved neighborhood, and a place for other artists to gather–including the Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival and the Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival.
When we visited, it was between downpours on a gloomy Friday morning. No tours were being given so we had to see the structures from outside the wrought iron fences and walls. Perhaps it was easier to see the interconnected angles, loops, curves, and shards from a short distance.
Going inside gives a reason to return and chance to explore the mind of an artist whose work can be called architectural, outsider, or naive, but inspires all who make time to journey there.
Find out more about the Watts towers at wattstowers.us and and follow Imprint on this page as well as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, too!