Visiting The Corner of Love in Santa Monica

Recently, I learned about a new art initiative called Beautify Earth (formerly Beautify Lincoln). The goal is to simply promote beauty and spread joy through public art. And how is this done? By painting plain boring walls and turning them into works of art.

The project started on Lincoln Boulevard on the west side of Los Angeles. If you’re familiar with the street you’ll know that it’s not exactly the Champs-Elysees. Several lanes, heavy traffic, largely commercial…it doesn’t do much for the imagination. Enter, Beautify Earth. A team of volunteers approach a local business and offer to paint their wall for free. Soon in place of an empty space there’s a work of art for all to see.

The Corner of Love is the latest and most detailed project. More than a mural it also includes a small garden and seating area.

The mural is a response to the question “Who do you choose to be?” The words scattered throughout are just some of the answers one could come up with and in the corner is a beautiful quote by George Bernard Shaw.

Inspired by my visit to The Corner of Love I decided to travel down Lincoln Blvd. and try to find other murals. Suddenly, art was everywhere.

These are but a few of the many public art pieces scattered throughout the boulevard. Once I started to spot them I couldn’t stop. What could have been a boring car ride was fast becoming a journey of wonder and happiness.

The Beautify Earth project is fast expanding beyond Lincoln Blvd. There are currently projects in Brooklyn and Crenshaw and more in the works all over the world. I’m excited to see what the movement will produce in the coming years.