Kymm Swank
I grew up in the country on Rural Route 2. My first exposure to the magical world of "The City" was watching the graffitied and tagged trains chug by on the tracks where I played as a child. I was fascinated by the colorful words and symbols painted indecipherably across the cars. Since then I have found inspiration in the signs and textures of the city.
The Central Ave series reflects my experience witnessing my home transformed by the relentless crush of progress. I have lived in DTLA for 13 years and I have watched it change dramatically. Forgotten streets are now full of shiny new buildings made from exposed brick and glass and steel. Twinkling lights whitewash the layers of urban scrawl. When I take my weekly neighborhood runs I see an undeniable tension between the massive luxury development and the murals, writings,and tags of those who were there before. The old and the new battling to claim the block. The Central Ave pieces explore this tension and my love of the unique marks left on our city by time, the elements, and ourselves. For this work I have drawn directly from the ephemeral graffiti on my street.
For more information about the artist, please visit her website.