Filmstrip sculpture rises along the East Hollywood 101 Freeway

A new steel filmstrip sculpture as tall as a two-story house has risen along the 101 Freeway in East Hollywood, greeting commuters and honoring the area's film and Hollywood industries.

Set in the freeway's median, with views of both the Hollywood Sign and the downtown Los Angeles skyline, the sculpture is part of the $5.87 million Caltrans Clean California beautification project.

The new public artwork, located south of Melrose Avenue, depicts three panels of filmstrips with the weaving motion symbolizing traffic flow.

"Over a hundred years ago, the Hollywood film industry put Los Angeles on the map. Millions came to Southern California looking for an opportunity to fulfill their dreams. The filmstrip sculpture is in honor of that legacy," Kathleen Hamer, senior landscape architect, State of California, said.

The Clean California beautification project improved landscaped areas of on- and off-ramps, and slopes along 8.7 miles of the 101 from Lankershim Blvd to N. Beaudry Ave. It is part of a statewide initiative led by the California Department of Transportation.

A Dec. 3 ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the completion of the project, where the filmstrip sculpture was unveiled.