Westside Neighborhood School will officially unveil artist Ed Massey’s “Syncopation” mural on its campus this Thursday, Sept. 6 at 1:45 p.m.
Students, parents, faculty and staff are delighted and proud to be at a school with such an exciting, visually stimulating exterior.
This vibrant, 7,000 square foot artwork by Massey was originally installed in 2004 at the Culver Plaza Building in Culver City.
As the Culver Plaza Building is now scheduled for demolition and redevelopment, the Syncopation panels have been saved and installed on the facade of WNS.
The new painting installation is comprised of 20- foot tall stretched canvases encompassing the central administration building and the campus’ education facilities.
Ed Massey said he was excited by the idea of Syncopation being in a new and educational environment where it can inspire young people and can be appreciated by campus visitors, the community and passersby alike.
“Often when a building is demolished, the artwork is lost forever,” Massey said. “In this case, we were able to save it and reuse it in a valuable way.”
Another significant fact about Massey’s artwork is that he frequently uses collaborative efforts and includes many children.
Head of School Brad Zacuto said Massey’s project-based approach is very closely aligned with how Westside Neighborhood School teaches.
“We value and appreciate the process as well as the beauty of this artwork,” Zacuto said. “We are honored to have it displayed on our building facade.”
The artwork will be unveiled at a ceremony on Sept. 6 at which time students, parents, teachers, and staff will see the artwork on the WNS buildings for the first time.
It has been in storage since it was taken down in January.
Everyone present will witness the transformation of the exterior of WNS from a neutral looking space to a building making a dynamic, bold and bright statement.
It is as if the new mural is a reflection of all the creativity and enthusiasm of the students inside the building and among the many creative enterprises in our surrounding community.
Westside Neighborhood School is a DK-8th grade program that is based on four pillars: Academic Excellence, Community, Diversity, and Character. WNS uses a constructivist, project-based learning approach that encourages students to be resilient, innovative, collaborative, independent thinkers as well as people of character.
Students develop a love of learning, cultural sensitivity, and a deep understanding of our world.
Westside Neighborhood School is located at 5401 Beethoven Street in Los Angeles.
