UPDATE: "Half of 'Urban Light' will be lit and accessible throughout the repainting process," reveals LACMA. A decision was made to keep some of it open at all times "(i)n light of overwhelming reaction to 'Urban Light' going dark."
You may not always spy dolphins while out on a boat trip, and seeing those famous wild parrots of Pasadena during a Crown City visit isn't guaranteed.
But drive by 'Urban Light' at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and you will, for sure, like 99.999% sure, to the max for sure, encounter frolicking people posing for photographs.
The walk-through art installation, which includes 202 historic street lamps, has become, if such a thing were quantifiable, just about the most loved-upon, interact-with-y artwork on the planet, if Instagram photos might serve as hard evidence.
But when something is doted upon, over and over and over, well, a spa day is in order. Only the Chris Burden artwork, which first began to glow in front of the Miracle Mile art museum back in 2008, is about to be rewarded with some spa months, as in two months, as in the run of time from May 1 through June 30, 2016.
Yep, it is closing for a restoration.
There's some "ish"-ing involved here, as the re-open date, at this juncture, is a bit soft, but plan on the end of June as about the time that the lamps will re-open.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
Ah yes, that's the message here: If you're going to snap a photo or make a video within/around the lamps, as so many Angelenos and visitors do, you've got a week to go, as of this typing, before the May 1 lights-out date.
For once the restoration work commences -- think a major clean-up and paint re-do, well beyond the mere "touch-up" category -- the lamps'll be closed to the public.
We know, it is hard to believe, given that 'Urban Light' is just so darn accessible, night or day. Believe it, though: One of the shining symbols of our city is about to take some R&R, the better to return looking even spiffier.
Now's the time, photo-ready frolickers of Southern California. Best get to the Miracle Mile favorite before the first of May arrives, or wait for July to snap those engagement photos.
