Walls, Dogs and Inflatable Logs: Long Beach Celebrates Public Art

By Daniel Rivera
Long Beach has a long history of artistic public expression with its many famous wall paintings and statues dotted all across the cities made by both local artists and those from around the world. 

From August 14 to 19, Long Beach is hosting Long Beach Walls with both local artists and artists from all around the world. For some, it’s their first time making art for the city while for others it’s another piece in their repertoire.

Long Beach Walls is a part of a non-profit organization called World Wide Walls, which started about eleven years ago with the Long Beach portion of the event going on for about seven years in partnership with Mosaic, Open Gallery, Long Beach Ports, and more. Long Beach Walls also enlisted a few sponsors like the City of Long Beach, Downtown Alliance, Topo Chico, Monster Energy, and Hawaiian Airlines.

“We do community beautification through public art in over 25 cities, we’ve been doing it for over a decade,” said World Wide Walls founder Jasper Wong. The event was once known as the Long Beach Powow but according to Wong, this was changed in 2021 due to concerns about the appropriation of Indian cultures and out of respect. 

Wong explained that Long Beach Walls includes artists from all over the world while also making an effort to make sure that half of those featured are locals like Jason Keam. 

“I’ve been an artist for over 10 years,” Keam told Random Lengths News whilst standing on his crane partially covered in empty spray paint cans. 

His artwork can be seen on the corner of Broadway and Chestnut on the southern side of the parking structure. His artwork is comprised of what he described as “Neapolitan,” the artwork are dogs of different colors that are symbolic of the multiculturalism of Long Beach. 

“I use dogs for storytelling, the colors, are multicultural… they’re man’s best friend and they teach you to be better people I’d say,” said Keam gesturing towards his artwork, which can be found @jason_keam. 

Not all the artwork on display are just paintings, but sculptures too, not made out of stone or marble but out of inflatables… 

“‘X’s and O’s is the name of the art… and the other is Popstar,” Jennifer Tran said gesturing towards an inflatable tik-tac piece lying on the ground and an inflatable star in the middle of Lincoln Park in Downtown Long Beach. 

She says that she and her partner James Shen who wasn’t available for comment explained that “Xs and Os” were put up so that people can interact with it and move it around and she described “Popstar” as a kind of interactive kaleidoscope so that people can look through the lens or play on the arms. 

You can find her @JenniferTran.Art on Instagram, she is based in Long Beach and was originally from Toronto, Canada. And her partner was born in Long Beach and was raised in Orange County. This debut is her first time with the Long Beach Walls, she said she met the organizers through the past work she did and she is also the designer of the future Long Beach Covid Memorial, which is still in its concept phase.

There are plenty of artists all around the city, which you can find on their online map. Some of the artists include but are not limited to Balloonski, Sean Banister, Joon the Goon, and more.  

They are designing art all over Long Beach and you may still find them if you hurry, the event will continue until August 19 and some of the artists haven’t quite finished yet. 

On the last day, the organizers plan to host a “closing party”  which will be held at the 300 Promenade North between 3rd and 4th street and will feature lives sets from World Famous VIP Records. The event will be open to everyone.