Statue of Junípero Serra (Los Angeles)
Statue in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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A statue of Junípero Serra (sometimes called Father Junipero Serra or Fra Junipero Serra)[1] was installed in a portion of El Pueblo de Los Ángeles Historical Monument informally known as Father Serra Park in Los Angeles, California.
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| Statue of Junípero Serra | |
|---|---|
The statue in 2014 | |
 | |
| Artist | Ettore Cadorin (replica) |
| Year | 1932 |
| Medium |
|
| Subject | Junípero Serra |
| Condition | In storage |
| Location | |
Description
Located between the Santa Ana Freeway and the city's Chinatown district, the bronze sculpture of Junípero Serra, a replica of the one completed by Ettore Cadorin for the National Statuary Hall Collection in 1930, measures approximately 8' 9" × 2' 2" × 2' 4", and rests on a concrete base that measures approximately 5' 8" × 3' 8" × 3' 8".[1]
History
The memorial was installed in 1932.[2] Some 4,000 people came for the occasion.[3] A bronze statue by Henry Lion of the Spanish Colonial governor, Felipe de Neve, was also installed in 1932 in the park.[4]
The artwork was surveyed by the Smithsonian Institution's "Save Outdoor Sculpture!" program in 1994.[1]
Removal
The statue was toppled by a group consisting of members from the Tongva and Tataviam Tribal Nations[5] and Native/Indigenous activists[6] in solidarity with the George Floyd protests in June 2020.[7]
The City of Los Angeles deemed the removal an act of civil disobedience. On June 30, 2020, the city introduced a motion to address controversial statues, plaques and other symbolic honorifics.[8] The park will be renamed by the Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners in collaboration with local tribal communities.[9][10]
