Los Angeles’ murals -- a rich legacy on display in the open air -- are endangered by graffiti and the elements. Ernesto de la Loza sets up his materials as he races to clean and stabilize his “Resurrection of the Green Planet,” a 1991 creation on the wall of a convenience store at Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and Breed Street in Boyle Heights. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Ernesto de la Loza restores his “Resurrection of the Green Planet” mural
A grafitti scrawl mars a portion of the mural. In November, the building’s owner received a notice from the city informing him that he had 90 days to remove the graffiti or face a fine. Artist Ernesto de la Loza undertook the work himself, with the store owner ponying up at least $5,000. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
Ernesto de la Loza stands in front of his mural. At its center is a curandera, or healer, who presses her hands to a young woman’s head. The artist was inspired by an atmosphere of change, as new technology was eagerly embraced yet the past held comfort and reassurance. He sees his mural as a bridge between the old world and the new. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
De la Loza focuses on a detail. Full restoration of the 15-by-50-foot expanse would cost between $40,000 and $50,000, a sum that neither the artist nor the store owner could afford. De la Loza hopes for assistance from the Getty and Annenberg foundations. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
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Ernesto de la Loza and a portion of “Resurrection of the Green Planet” are reflected in a window of his van. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
A pedestrian walks past Ernesto de la Loza’s 1991 mural “Resurection of the Green Planet.” People dont understand the value of them, the artist says. It takes money to protect them you have to service them. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
