Last week, the city of Los Angeles witnessed the emergence of a collective artwork on three abandoned high-rise buildings, part of an ambitious real estate project, part of an ambitious real estate project. The one-billion-dollar structure, called Oceanwide Plaza, has remained incomplete since 2019 due to financial issues faced by the Chinese developer, Oceanwide Holdings. It appears that numerous artists from various parts of the United States were involved, specifically coming to leave their mark on the skyscraper. During the last week of January, strictly during the night, giant tags started to appear on every floor of the skyscrapers. A total of twenty-seven floors were painted by the graffiti artists, in a situation that is decidedly unsafe but prompts citizens and non-residents alike to reflect. The emergence of graffiti on this abandoned structure has sparked contrasting opinions. Some view it as a way to humanize a neglected space and as a form of protest against the failed project, which undoubtedly had a negative impact on the city. Others express concerns about safety and emphasize the need to preserve the structure as a piece of urban architecture. Some of the graffiti artists have been stopped and arrested, while the debate opens up about the city’s critical situation regarding the high number of homeless individuals, high crime rates, and drug overdoses. Citizens, as well as social media users, unleash a flurry of comments, ironically questioning whether it is more important to focus on arresting graffiti artists than to invest resources in resolving Los Angeles’ issues.
