A Jaw-Dropping Sculpture Park In Los Angeles Is A Historic Hub For Social Justice

"I wanted to build something big and I did," goes a quote from Italian artist Sabato Rodia, an immigrant to the United States in 1894 who went on to create one of the most famous — and imposing — attractions in  Watts, Los Angeles, California, a state boasting several underrated artsy spots. The Watts Towers are described as the single largest construction made by a single person, a series of steel pillars and eccentrically decorated mesh networks spanning 17 structures including three eye-popping towers, the highest of which is nearly 100 feet tall. The project took Rodia, who was a skilled construction worker and mason, 33 years to build, and was finally finished in 1954.

According to the Watts Towers website, it took no time at all for art enthusiasts to realize the incredible beauty and cultural importance of Rodia's masterwork, with the International Conference of Museum Curators describing the sprawling project as "a unique combination of sculpture and architecture and the paramount work of folk art of the 20th century in the United States" (via Watts Towers). Within just a few years, the Watts Towers were saved from demolition and have stood as one of Los Angeles' most interesting landmarks — and one of the United States' greatest examples of outsider art — ever since.

However, the Watts Towers aren't simply a feast for the eyes. In recent years, the site has become an important hub for social projects and community work, making it a living part of the city's cultural and political life. While the intricacies of the structures themselves are well worth exploring, any visit to Watts Towers would be enhanced by getting involved in its cultural program.

The spirit of outsider art, which is staunchly promoted in museums in Baltimore and a handful of other cities around the world, is that creativity does not have to follow existing rules in terms of composition or competency, or even have any purpose other than self-expression. And while Sabato Rodia's Watts Towers are certainly built with skill — they have stood solidly ever since he erected them and have survived stress tests — and vision, that no-one knows exactly why he started the project or what he was thinking over the decades he spent on his labor of love has become a source of inspiration for many who visit the attraction.

Experts have celebrated the technical achievements of the work, the structure of which is said to reflect "universal structure principles found in nature," according to the California State Parks website, while the hand-adorned fragments of pottery, glass, and ceramics decorating the structures reflect the work of California craftspeople and workshops of the early twentieth century. The Watts Towers are now listed as a National Historical Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places, the result of decades of campaigning to protect it from demolition and redevelopment. A film about Rodia's accomplishment, "I Build the Tower," is considered an important piece of Los Angeles reportage. You can watch the trailer for it above.

Since opening to the public, the Watts Towers have established themselves as an important social space and artistic hub for the local community. Today, the Watts Towers Arts Center provides music programs including piano lessons and a jazz mentorship program, workshops in their garden studio as well as a full summer arts program for local children. The center also hosts numerous art exhibitions, many of which focus on the art and social history of local African American and Latino communities,  while regular jazz festivals and concerts reflect the area's historic links to the genre, not least through pioneer Charles Mingus, who was born in the area.

The Watts Towers along with the lively cultural program of the arts center mean that a well-timed visit is sure to be an inspiring experience for both artists and art enthusiasts. Guided tours of the towers are available from Thursday until Saturday each week for a small fee, and are the only way to get up close and personal with the artwork.

Looking to combine art, food, and hiking? Here is a trendy Californian lakeside neighborhood that will fit the bill.