The Speedway by Sonia Romero, 2025
Artist Statement
The Speedway tile mural is in the Farragut Connector, also known as the Snicket, a pedestrian and bike pathway that connects Jackson Avenue and Jasmine Avenue in Culver City. This cozy walkway offers an intimate neighborhood setting for a custom public artwork tucked into the fabric of daily life.
While creating the piece, I heard that the connector may have once served as an entryway to the Culver City Speedway, a short-lived horse racing track that later became a motor speedway. It operated between 1924 and 1927. When I looked at aerial maps of the area, I noticed that the curved layout of the surrounding streets still echoes the shape of the old racetrack, a subtle but charming feature that gives the neighborhood its unique character.
The concept of the mural pictures the historical layers of the site. Horse racing, car racing, and housing developments appear in concentric rings, with Carlson Park at the center and Ballona Creek in the corner.
Stylistically, I took inspiration from vintage toy graphics such as phenakistoscopes, the early spinning disks that predate modern animation, and from old carnival shooting galleries. This was a playful and colorful way for me to present the layered history of the site.
Material: Cuerda seca tile
Dimensions: 120 x 42 inches
Date: 2025