Hitting the Wall. 1984.
20ft. x 100ft.
Acrylic on Cast Concrete.
Location: 4th Street off-ramp off the Harbor Freeway in Los Angeles, California
Baca’s 1984 Olympics mural, commemorates female marathon runners. “In it, a female runner with her arms outstretched breaks through a finish line and takes down a brick wall with her, revealing the L.A. skyline behind.
The image of triumph wasn’t just another piece of street art. Far from it.
It was commissioned for the 1984 games by the international Olympic Organizing Committee and designed to depict a national milestone – the first time women were allowed to compete in the games.” – LAist
The creation of Hitting the Wall was only the start, Judy and her team have been fighting for the preservation and continued visibility of this work since 1984. Read more about how it’s been tagged, white-washed and restored in the following links:
Left: Artist Judy Baca in front of a wall along the Harbor Freeway in downtown Los Angeles where her mural has been covered by gray paint. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)