Art has the unique ability to transform environments, to spark new ways of seeing the world, and to foster connections within communities. At 1440 Sepulveda, a newly revitalised building in West Los Angeles, Czech-American artist Natalja Kent’s large-scale public art installation is doing just that. Commissioned to bring vibrancy and energy to the building’s exterior, Kent’s work infuses the surrounding neighbourhood with an artistic expression that is as dynamic as it is inviting. “This artwork at 1440 Sepulveda is a public homage to the delightful and healing power of light, colour, movement and play,” Kent explains. Its abstract nature offers an open invitation for viewers to interpret the piece in their own way, making the artwork an interactive experience that invites reflection and personal discovery.
The building that now houses Kent’s artwork, 1440 Sepulveda, is a 1986 structure that recently underwent a significant facelift. With the goal of creating inspiring workspaces for the modern workforce, Beacon Capital Partners acquired the building, which is located in a thriving West LA neighbourhood near UCLA, the Hammer Museum, and bustling pedestrian walkways. Spread over 112,000 square feet, the building houses production studios for a major sports network and offers a mix of modular floor plans and custom spaces featuring expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that bathe the interiors in natural light.
While the architectural bones were strong, the building needed a facelift to meet the demands of today’s creative industries. Enter RMW Architecture & Interiors, tasked with the repositioning, and Club Studio, who provided branding, environmental graphics, and of course, the public art vision. The challenge: How to incorporate a monumental art installation that would be bold yet harmonious with the architecture and surrounding neighbourhood. The result, after nearly two years of careful planning and design, is a piece that seamlessly integrates with its environment while adding an exciting new layer of creativity to the building’s identity.
Kent’s Colourful Vision: Drawing Inspiration from Light, Nature, and the Neighborhood
Natalja Kent, known for her innovative approach to light-sensitive art, took inspiration from the building’s surroundings and the energy of West LA when creating the mural. “I meditated on these external aspects of the building and performed a movement meditation with lights in response,” Kent says.
Kent’s use of light-sensitive paper, which she has perfected over years of experimentation, translates the surrounding natural elements - the Pacific Ocean, the green park across the street, the dappled sunlight, and the vibrant rhythms of the community - into stunning chromograms. The resulting gradient abstractions capture the essence of the neighbourhood, inviting viewers to experience a moment of light, colour, and movement each time they pass by.
A Tribute to Los Angeles’ Light and Space Movement
When approached by Beacon Capital Partners to create this public art installation, Kent saw a perfect opportunity to pay tribute to the city’s history and the Light and Space art movement that originated in Los Angeles. “When I was approached by Beacon about this mural project, I was struck by the expansive possibilities of the light and space in collaboration with the architecture of the building,” Kent recalls. “Because my work is made with analog photo-based materials, which is the root of film and television, the local history of the industry and my work seemed like a perfect combination.”
Over the course of seven years, Kent developed a process using light-sensitive paper, typically used in film and photography, to create her unique "chromograms." These works of art explore the movement and rhythms of the world around us. Kent created seven large-scale light works for the 1440 Sepulveda project, which were then enlarged and transferred onto powder-coated aluminium panels through a pigment process. The finished panels, measuring 12 x 4 feet, are a vibrant, ever-changing tribute to the area’s colour tones, rhythms, and the interplay of light throughout the day.
Kent’s mural is more than just a visual statement; it’s an invitation to engage with the environment in a more meaningful way. “Public art has the capacity to offer solace, delight and transformation,” Kent says. “If we give art our attention and curiosity, untold experiences can unfold - new colours are witnessed, a way of seeing discovered, a story transmitted in colour alone might be found. These are just a few of the gifts that I personally have experienced from public art.”
Kent’s goal with this installation was not only to add beauty to the building but to create a space for discovery. “My intention with this artwork was to hold a space for curiosity and discovery. Abstraction has the bold power of inviting new ways to see and interpret the work depending on the viewer’s perspective. This openness to interpretation places the meaning and power in the viewer’s hands. I invite them to decide for themselves what the mural achieves,” she explains.
One of the most fascinating aspects of Kent’s work is how it interacts with the surrounding environment. The mural, which faces Sepulveda Avenue, is designed to play off the natural light, shifting in colour and mood as the sun moves throughout the day. “For pedestrians passing on that walkway I wanted to integrate a feeling of cool relief from the sun on a hot summer day where the tree shades the mural,” Kent says. “As a person walks into the dappled light, the mural swirls with gradients of deep blues and wet purple tones, as if they took a dive into a clear, deep ocean.”
The mural isn’t just a passive art piece - it becomes an active part of the pedestrian experience. As individuals pass by, the mural's colours shift, creating a dynamic dialogue between the art, the light, and the viewers themselves. Kent adds, “There is joy and play in that kind of abstract colour reference tied to bodily movement. It’s a loose form of transportation for the subconscious to absorb while stepping through one’s routine.”
The energy of Kent’s artwork extends beyond the exterior of 1440 Sepulveda and continues to fill the interior spaces. In the building’s lobby, for example, a living wall of plants stands in contrast to Kent’s vibrant works, which light up one side of the space, surrounding it with creative energy from all angles. The interplay between the natural world and Kent’s art continues the themes of light, colour, and movement inside the building, reinforcing the transformative power of art in everyday spaces.
Transforming the Everyday Through Art
Ultimately, Kent’s mural at 1440 Sepulveda is a celebration of the power of art to shape the places where we live, work, and play. As she says, “Public art has the capacity to offer solace, delight and transformation.” This installation proves that art is more than decoration - it is a catalyst for creativity and a reminder of the beauty and potential that surrounds us. Through light, colour, and movement, Kent’s work encourages us all to see the world anew and to find joy and inspiration in the everyday.
Credits:
Artist: Natalja Kent (Website, Instagram @nataljakent)
Project: 1440 Sepulveda, West Los Angeles
Architecture & Design: Beacon Capital Partners, Ware Malcomb
Art Consulting: Club Studio
