Re: Angel Project
October 24, 2002

To Whom it may Concern,

“…between us…” is an Angel unlike others. The Downtown Women's Center's, (DWC) artists in residence Rochelle Botello and Corina Gamma, together with the program participants, reconstructed this angel with various “bonding” materials. These materials were chosen as a metaphor for the human bonding that takes place within the DWC's homeless women's community. “Women-to-women” connections are the glue and essential to help reconstruct lives and overcome homelessness and isolation. The bonding of the angel also represents the ties between the DWC community and the community at large, as well as the inner-resources that women draw upon in order to empower themselves. The photographs and poetry on the angel reflect some of the everyday experiences and contrasts of living downtown Los Angeles.

Approximately 60 out of 80 angels were chosen by the Community Of Angels to be displayed at the Music Center downtown Los Angeles for two weeks, prior to a Gala Auction, on October 19th. The proceeds of the auction benefited The Volunteers of America, and brought notoriety to the institutions that decorated the Angels. The Downtown Women’s’ Center was given an angel, but was not displayed nor was it part of the Gala Auction. The Women’s Center was told it had been left out of the auctions because of missed deadlines and because the angel was cut apart and glued back together without permission. Neither of these reasons was in fact true, (the women’s center was not informed of a deadline and permission was granted to cut the ‘angel.’) Finally the Women’s’ Center was told that they chose only ‘representative’ angels to place in the auction.

Why wasn’t the angel that was prepared by The Downtown Women’s’ Center included in the auction? Why wasn’t it considered representative? The angel was not decorative. It was cut apart and glued back together, and photographs of skid row are on its wings and belly. Life in a homeless shelter is not pretty. It can be scary and dangerous and it is one part of life in Los Angeles. To claim it is not representative, (not representative of what?) and to not give it the public forum that the other more decorative angels are given, is hypocritical. There is something really disturbing about a community art project that discriminates on the basis of what looks pretty, and what they think people should want to see.

The angel “…between us…” is sponsored by Council Member Jan Perry and Merck.

It is currently up for auction through www.acommunityofangels.com and on display at Figueroa and 7th mall plaza.

For further information call the Downtown Women’s Center at 213.680.0600


Corina Gamma
Artist in Residence, Downtown Women’s’ Center





“…between us…”




Project Participants:

Debra Adams
Karen Alexander
Angela Badura
Rochelle Botello
Jackie Camp
Jackie Caver
Evelyn Furutani
Corina Gamma
Joann Hampton
Fannie Mayfield
Lynn Quint
Lenore Ramoz
Amy Robinson
Stella Ross
Jeanna Saxer




With greatest appreciation to:

Council Member Jan Perry
and Merck for sponsoring the angel

and

Lisa Watson, Executive Director of the Downtown Women’s Center