When flames swept through neighborhoods during the Eaton Fire, many families, including some in the Harvard-Westlake community, were left devastated. For Middle School Visual Arts teacher Flavia Zuniga-West ‘02, the fire hit especially close to home.
“I personally felt the need to make work to process my family members losing their home in the Eaton Fire,” Zuniga-West said.
That personal loss inspired the creation of the “LOVE LA” Painting Project, a collaborative visual arts initiative that brought together 7th through 9th grade students to explore themes of grief, resilience, and hometown pride.
The project spans both semesters of this school year and includes students from Drawing & Painting and Foundations in Visual Arts classes. Students painted faux tile squares, selecting from iconic Los Angeles symbols like the Dodgers logos.
The project also drew artistic inspiration from Iranian American contemporary artist Amir Fallah, known for work that explores identity, history, and memory.
Beyond the individual tiles, students collaborated on large-scale canvases depicting what they love about Los Angeles. The works honor communities affected by recent fires, including the historically Black neighborhood of Altadena and the Pacific Palisades.
The project, still on display in Wang Hall, is a patchwork of identity, culture, and community.
