About the Artwork

Siempre Ha Sido Y Siempre Fue is a sound artwork created by Christopher Garcia for the Atlantic Ave Park new restroom. Garcia's composition intricately layers the sounds of ancient Mesoamerican cultures, employing traditional instruments such as the huilacapiztli, the clay ocarina, the stone marimba, and Raramuri double-sided drums which were integral to Mesoamerican civilizations. These civilizations were notable for their sophisticated approaches to architecture and urban planning, reflected here in the careful curation of sound. Each note and rhythm invites the audience to consider these ancient technologies and the people who developed them, including the legacy of sophisticated sanitation systems that were established by the Mexica Empire in 1325. This connection underscores a continuous line of cultural and technological evolution, illustrating how the past permeates the present. The sound installation offers park visitors a chance to pause and consider the layers of history beneath our modern exteriors, to listen deeply and reflect on the sounds that have shaped human experience across millennia.

Sound Art Location

Self-cleaning restroom in Atlantic Avenue Park, 570 S Atlantic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90022

About the Performance

Join us on Saturday, May 10, 6-8pm at East LA Civic Center for a live performance by multi-instrumentalist and composer Christopher Garcia and Flower Songs Music (Xochi Cuicatl) to celebrate the completion of Garcia's sound artwork for Atlantic Avenue Park.

This event will open with an herbal tea ceremony and performance honoring the sacred waters of the earth by ecological artist and herbalist Paige Emery, followed by a series of short talks and the performance by Garcia and Flower Songs Music (Xochi Cuicatl). Christopher Garcia is known for his mastery of ancient Mesoamerican instruments which he will demonstrate after his performance along with a Q&A with the audience.