LOS ANGELES (October 8, 2024)— LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes unveiled La Salsera (The Salsa Dancer), a large-scale artwork by renowned and celebrated visual artist and activist Judy Baca, at the museum and cultural center in downtown Los Angeles, and can be viewed up close during regular operating hours.  

La Salsera is an extraordinary artwork initially commissioned as a site-specific piece for the Getty’s West Pavilion. In partnership with the Social & Public Art Resource Center (SPARC), co-founded by Baca in 1976, LA Plaza is proud to be the new home of La Salsera.

“LA Plaza centers and amplifies the stories and lived experiences of Latinx people in Los Angeles,” shares Leticia Rhi Buckley, CEO of LA Plaza. “La Salsera poignantly expresses the story and journey of many of our community. We are honored to welcome this significant public artwork, created by one of the most prolific artists of our time, to LA Plaza.”  

"It’s a perfect site for La Salsera. I hope you enjoy it, and I can tell she’s happy here," said Judy Baca during the unveiling of the artwork. "It’s a joyful image, one that represents the resilience of workers and their contributions to building our city." 

A pioneer in public art, Judy Baca has spent over four decades creating works that enrich the lives of communities. In 1974, she founded Los Angeles’ first mural program, producing more than 400 murals and employing thousands of local residents. Throughout her career, Baca has championed social justice and given a voice to marginalized communities. Her contributions have earned her more than 50 awards from various organizations.  

La Salsera is 15 feet wide, 14 feet high, and weighs nearly 2,000 pounds. It was created using ceramic ink printed on tempered and laminated light glass technology.  

La Salsera is on view during LA Plaza’s operating hours, Wednesday through Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The artwork will have its first major public showcase during LA Plaza’s annual Pobladores Awards Gala on Thursday, October 13, and is expected to draw over 500 attendees.  

The installation of La Salsera at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes was made possible, in part, by a grant provided to SPARC from the Eastside Arts Initiative (EAI).