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Anthony Mejia

Professor Batty

English 101

01 March 2017

Smile Youre on Camera :)

You are the star! Well at least thats the gimmick that is implied in Thomas

Suriyas beloved mural located in the heart and birth of filmmaking and entertainment the town

known as Hollywood. Its a gorgeous exotic work of art that stands out from your typical street

murals. This painting you might think looks simple and is pretty straightforward and is just a way

to remember some of Hollywood's finest stars. The artist named Thomas Suriya wants you to

view his mural in an opposite perspective. Rather than us seeing the stars perform he wants

you to see that youre a star as well.

The mural is titled You Are The Star , has I think one of the most creative and

fun concepts ever. This mural has a much deeper meaning than it may seem, it includes you,

the audience. The mural beautifully displays hollywoods most iconic characters that include

Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, Woody Allen ,Richard Pryor, even included Woody the

Woodpecker and dozens more, sitting in a darkened theater room. While facing the screen ,

which yes you guessed it, it is the sidewalk. Therefore revealing the definition of the title of the

mural. Because ironically instead of the stars being watched by you it's you watching them. It's a

brilliant and fun idea that makes this mural stand out from others. The colors used are pretty

simple and nothing out of the ordinary like other murals that use colors that give it a deeper

meaning, but it does give a great flavor to the mural and make it pop out. It pops out in a way

that it will automatically catch your attention, the use of dark shades are used a lot, but that's

because the setting of the mural is in a movie theater. The one great detail of the whole mural I

would say is its worn out, old fashion look and feel it has. That I think represents the age of
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these stars, since they all are stars from the early years of Hollywood. Marilyn Monroe sitting in

the front row next to Charlie Chaplin is sure to be the first thing that will catch your eye. She is

painted in her famous white dress with her sexy smirk and because the characters all sit in a

darkened theater room she is the most noticeable and in my opinion most iconic and

recognizable actress in the mural.

This mural is a treasure and landmark to Hollywood. Its one of its many jewels

which make it very valuable and dear to the people in Hollywood. It's a tourist favorite and

always has its picture taken by the wonderful pedestrians that appreciate its uniqueness. To

prove this statement in how valuable the mural is to the people of Hollywood. A staff writer

named Tiffany Hsu from the LA times wrote an article titled stars to shine more brightly after

touch up, says this The mural appears on Hollywood postcards and has been deemed one of

the city's most-photographed attractions by the Hollywood Arts Council, which is sponsoring the

restoration. She wrote about how 24 years after the mural was made ,1983 to 2007 that it got a

refurbishment because throughout the years the mural has gone through the worst conditions

ranging from weather attacks and disrespected vandalism. For this very reason, artist Thomas

Suriya was called upon to reunite his old mural and give it a touch up that it deserves. Suriya

had mixed feelings about the restoration, but the arts council and help from the Community

Redevelopment Agency of the city of Los Angeles they managed to get him here and pay him to

restore the mural. The mural has gone as far as being registered as a protected artwork by the

Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles. So i'm pretty sure you can tell now how protected and cared

they are for this mural in the city of Hollywood.

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Suriya wasnt too ecstatic during the whole process of painting the mural, due to

the harsh conditions he was in while painting the mural. But despite the obstacles he had to go

through he delivered with his mural. For starters the colors on the mural are just popping.

Nothing to flashy no big color patterns or schemes presented but simple colors that make the

mural work. Its still a satisfying taste for your eyes to see. What makes this mural extraordinary

besides the concept and idea is the detail shown. Each character depicted in the mural has

features and personality that gives you that remembrance and nostalgia of these characters of

when they were entertainers in the early years of the film industry. Suriya adds excellent and

smart characteristics that make it easy and better to recognize the hollywood legends. For

example he captures Marilyn Monroes beautiful appearance and makes it in his own type of art

style but he captures them so well you can immediately tell who it is and recognize it.

Like a movie we end this essay with a cut! The main star for this mural is the

artist himself Thomas Suriya. Who creates a brilliant work of art and uses perspective as the

main part of the mural. Also the irony he showcases by having these hollywood film legends,

whom are usually on the big screen and being viewed by the average citizen. Suriya flips this

scene and does the opposite. He does an excellent job in his mural at giving remembrance and

appreciation towards Hollywoods legendary stars. Although I think the best part of his mural is

his message he is telling you that you are a star as well. Which goes back to the name of the

mural You Are The Star.

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Works cited:

Dunitz Robin, You Are The Star, Hollywood Mural, Restored by MCLA in 1995, Mural

Conservancy, 29 March 2017

Hsu Tiffany , Stars to Shine More Brightly After Touch Up, LA times, La Times, 17 July 2007,

web 29 March 2017

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You Are The Star

By:Thomas Suriya