Watts Towers Rise Again

The reopening of the Watts Towers has been called a “tentative reintroduction” by John Outterbridge, director of the Watts Towers Arts Center, and that is a fair appraisal, given the amount of unfinished business. The basic restoration is now completed, paid for by the state. But commitments for continuing maintenance and guarantees of permanent public access have yet to be assured.

There is justification, nevertheless, for the festivities that are scheduled all day Saturday and Sunday to mark the reopening and, furthermore, to anticipate the 20th anniversary of the Watts riots.

Two kinds of honors will be paid: First, of course, there will be tribute to the builder of the towers, Simon Rodia, whose creativity with metal, concrete, ceramic shards and broken glass have attracted attention from all over the world. Second, there will also be honors for some of those who have labored to rebuild the community and to mend the broken promises that fueled the riots in 1965.

Not the least of the remarkable things about this observance will be the implicit recognition that neither the preservation of the works of art nor the implementation of the national commitment to justice has been completed, and never will be without constantly renewed commitment.