Alfonso Gonzalez Jr.: In Between Stops

Alfonso Gonzalez Jr.: In Between Stops features 12 benches designed by the Los Angeles–based artist installed along LACMA's Kendall Concourse. A second-generation sign painter, Gonzalez draws on rotulismo mexicano—the tradition of Mexican hand-painted signage—to continue a craft increasingly displaced by digital graphics and urban clean-up efforts. His benches feature personal or socially conscious messages in place of typical bus stop advertisements and, at times, incorporate elements from LACMA's history and collection, generating a dialogue between the museum and the commercialized cityscape. In doing so, Gonzalez engages with a long tradition of Los Angeles artists who have turned public spaces into places to experience art.