Urban Light at LACMA

Urban Light is a public art installation by artist Chris Burden, located on the outdoor plaza of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) at 5905 Wilshire Blvd in the Miracle Mile district of Los Angeles, California. Installed in 2008, the work consists of 202 restored cast-iron street lamps collected from across Southern California, arranged in tight rows and painted a uniform gray. The frame is one of repetition and symmetry: rows of lampposts of different heights stretch away in perspective, and photographers can shoot down the aisles, through the gaps between lamps or from the edge of the installation with the museum buildings behind. The lamps are lit at dusk by solar-powered lights, so the best time is just after sunset, when the glowing lamps contrast with a deep blue sky. Daytime photography also works, with side-light creating strong shadows between the posts, and early morning offers fewer people and soft light. The installation is free to photograph on the outdoor plaza, with no admission needed, and it is open to the public at all hours. It is one of the most popular photo locations in Los Angeles, so crowds are common, especially at dusk and on weekends, with photo shoots and visitors waiting for gaps between people. Tripods can be used on the plaza but should not block pedestrians, and commercial shoots may require a permit from the museum. Drone flights are not appropriate over the museum grounds and surrounding busy streets. Restrooms and water are available inside the museum during opening hours, and nearby Wilshire Blvd offers cafes. A normal zoom lens in the 24-70mm range handles most compositions, with a tripod helping for dusk exposures.