Seen on the Street

Studio City’s newest art gallery was open to the public Thursday--in more ways than one.

A fanciful, five-foot collage labeled “Less Material More Art” and erected in the middle of the community’s busiest three-way intersection was turning heads and turning everyone into a critic.

“It’s nice, a welcome addition that’s definitely nice to look at,” said Eric Forster, a loan agent whose high-rise office looks down on the junction of Ventura Boulevard, Radford Avenue and Ventura Place.

“It’s awful. It would get you an ‘F’ in art class,” said Sondra Frohlich, executive director of the Studio City Chamber of Commerce, who drove by for a look.

The mystery artwork apparently was nailed to two palm trees one night last week in a triangular-shaped grass divider in the intersection. Anchored by a polka-dot vacuum cleaner, the design includes stereo speakers circled by old tires above a cascade of dinner forks--all accented in bold colors.

Passers-by also weren’t shy about commenting.

“It’s fun,” pedestrian Annie Azzariti said. “Art should be everywhere. We should be exposed to it at every turn of the corner.”

Beverly Heap, a secretary, could see the collage from her office window. She likes it.

“At first, though, I thought our bag lady had come back--the one who used to come up in a limo every day and lay all of her stuff out on the divider,” Heap said.

John Nelson, owner of a gas station on the west side of the intersection, said he at first thought it was terrible. “Now I don’t think it’s so bad. It kind of grows on you,” he said.

Roy Antoun, a commercial artist, stopped his car to admire the colorful hanging. “It’s a spark of life in the middle of a place where everything’s the same, everything seems to be a mirrored office building,” Antoun said.

Jeanette Jones, manager of a trendy Italian restaurant overlooking the intersection, approved of the collage. “It’s more interesting than a lot of the art you pay for. They should do more of it. I hope they don’t take it down,” she said.

The artwork was causing consternation for the Studio City Beautification Assn., however. That group is trying to raise about $42,000 to landscape the 20-year-old triangle and decorate it with a gold “Studio City” sign.

“It’s not ours. We didn’t put it there,” said Irwin Stanton, an association leader.

But the city’s Public Works Department had the last word.

“It’s illegal. It will have to come down,” said Lucille Cowgill of the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Maintenance.