Two Tiled Murals Planned for Pier

In what is expected to be the community’s largest and most costly public art project, Manhattan Beach officials have voted to spend up to $100,000 on two murals that would enhance the Manhattan Beach Pier.

The tiled murals will be funded with monies from Proposition A, a 1992 voter-approved bond initiative for parks and recreation. The City Council and cultural arts department have hired Los Angeles artist Paul Tzanetopoulos to design the project.

Tzanetopoulos, 43, will create a 600-foot mosaic to replace a 14-year-old painting of surfers and ocean life that spans a sea wall below the pier and has begun to peel and fade. The new mural will depict the cultural diversity of the people who use the beach.

Tzanetopoulos plans to use a hybrid of archetypal cultural graphics to illustrate the ocean’s dominance over the environment. He envisions using graphics and textiles found in Asian, African, South American and European arts.

A comfort station mural will depict the kinetic beauty of the ocean and will span 500 feet in front of the showers. The image will combine the motions of the sand, wind and water in a series of one-inch porcelain tiles.

The murals are part of a massive pier renovation project. Over the last five years the city has spent nearly $5 million to revamp its parking structure, re-deck the pier, refurbish comfort stations and enhance landscaping.

Manhattan Beach’s cultural arts program has added several pieces of artwork to the city over the past decade. Since 1989, the city has funded 22 temporary public art projects. Residents have paid for several permanent installations including a memorial to Martin Ganz, the first Manhattan Beach police officer to be slain in the line of duty.

Cultural arts manager Howard Spector said the project is expected to be completed by the end of summer.