With some of the most acclaimed public artworks on display and a bi-annual art show that selects a new piece each year to be showcased on city grounds, Beverly Hills is the destination for art lovers.
All works of art must meet the following criteria: created by an established artist with an international reputation, possess an intrinsic quality that enhances the aesthetics of the building site and create visual excitement for the city.
Beverly Gardens Park
Take a stroll through Beverly Gardens Park and you’ll quickly find yourself running into an impressive collection of public works of art. Start east of the Beverly Hills Sign & Lily Pond to view Roxy Paine’s Erratic, a texturized stainless steel boulder that symbolizes technology’s impact on nature or Playground, the first Tony Smith piece commissioned by a city. Head west down the park’s jogging trail to view Barry Flanagan’s The Drummer, a whimsical bronze hare located in front of the Beverly Hills Sign and Lily Pond, Yayoi Kusama’s eye-catching Hymn of Life: Tulips and Takeaway by Tom Friedman, a 14-foot tall stainless steel sculpture of a man with takeaway boxes balanced on his head. Also on view along the park are Magdalena Abakanowicz’s Sitting Figure on Bench, Henri Alfred Marie Jacquemart’s Hunter and Hounds and Jaume Plensa’s Endless V.
Beverly Hills City Hall
Presiding over the city’s civic life since 1932, Beverly Hills City Hall has been a beloved local landmark designed by architect William Gage. Beautiful in pictures but even more stunning in person, explore the center’s terrazzo floors and intricate ceilings as you view several public works, including Joan Brown’s The Obelisk, a mosaic tower depicting a seagull in flight above green palm trees, Charles Arnoldi’s Home, located south of the Beverly Hills Public Library and Richard Serra’s triangular sheets of steel, Twins, created in dedication to the artist’s twin nephews.
The Golden Triangle
Set between Santa Monica Boulevard, Canon Drive and Wilshire Boulevard is The Golden Triangle, a grid of seven smaller commercial streets that encompass the business district of Beverly Hills. Catch a perfect photo opportunity with one of the the sculptures by street artist Mr. Brainwash. His sculpture, Beverly Hills is Beautiful, located in Beverly Canon Gardens just outside Montage Beverly Hills, is an extension of of his piece, Life is Beautiful, located on Rodeo Drive, that debuted in 2008 on Sunset Boulevard.
Down Beverly Drive, viewers can admire Unconscious by Franz West, located at the “Gateway” of Beverly Hills at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Beverly Drive. The orange looping ribbon-shaped sculpture integrates three seats to encourage conversation, socialization, and interaction.