As a teaser to this series and to encourage the public to reimagine the use of this grassy, park-like space as an art destination, LA-based artist Bumblebee will be installing a temporary artwork today, Monday, July 16. The title of the piece is yet to be named, but without spoiling the surprise of the spontaneous arrival of the artwork, people can expect a sense of whimsy and playfulness which will invite viewers to stop for a moment, take a break, and snap a photo. This artwork will be on view for several weeks, at which point Triangle Square and locations along Third Street Promenade will be transformed by another artist.

This programmatic partnership between the City of Santa Monica and Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. evolved through a mutual desire to infuse more art experiences in the downtown core. There was also a shared interest in activating public spaces with ephemeral work that would prompt people to traverse this active corridor. An artist list will be available to the public soon, so people will know what to anticipate and look out for over the next several months.

Born and raised in the southeastern part of Los Angeles County, Bumblebee uses the technique of stenciling and mixed media to create images of children on unloved walls of his hometown. Considerate and thoughtful, Bumblebee’s work also deals with issues such as child homelessness and the impact of modernity on nature. Despite the seriousness of his subject matter, his works are not heavy. Instead, they are whimsical, playful and exude a sense of childish innocence, freedom and joy.

Bumblebee has completed several high-profile murals including Keep Up, at Google headquarters in Venice Beach; Final Cut on the KODAK building in Hollywood and Beach Day in Santa Monica, CA. Concurrently he has been asked by Snapchat to create permanent geofilters around the country that feature designed images from murals as a background to any photo. Bumblebee Loves You