The nearly 30-year-old mural of actor Anthony Quinn on the side of the Victor Clothing Co. building in downtown Los Angeles will be restored, according to several media outlets.
Titled “The Pope of Broadway,” the 70-foot-tall mural at 242 S. Broadway shows Quinn with his arms outstretched, a la a scene from the 1964 film “Zorba the Greek,” touting the Victor business. Eloy Torrez painted it in 1985.
According to L.A. Downtown News:
Fourteenth District City Councilman José Huizar helped secure $150,000 for the restoration of the mural, which over the years become chipped and faded, and was also vandalized.
The idea of restoring the mural was first floated by Quinn’s son, Francesco, who tried to bring attention to the artwork before his death in 2011.
According to the Los Angeles Times:
“Anthony Quinn’s rise from humble immigrant beginnings to worldwide recognition as one of the greatest artists of his day continues to inspire many here in the city of Los Angeles,” Huizar said in an interview. He added: ” ‘The Pope of Broadway’ is not only an important part of our Bringing Back Broadway initiative, it is a masterful piece of art that reminds us of the importance of mural restoration and the reason we overturned the 11-year ban on murals on private property: so artists can create new masterpieces.”
The project is scheduled to start in early 2015, led by the Mural Conservancy, which is also restoring the 1984 Olympic Arts Murals along the 101 Freeway. The group hopes to finish that work by 2016, conservancy Executive Director Isabel Rojas Williams said.
Conservators will work closely with Torrez during the restoration process to maintain the integrity of the mural.
The Broadway district in downtown Los Angeles was where Route 66 terminated in the highway’s early days, until 66 was lengthened to Santa Monica.
(Hat tip: Scott Piotrowski; image of “The Pope of Broadway” mural in 2009 by Javier Carcamo via Flickr)