February 2025 | DESIGN & INTERIORS
NATALJA KENT’s CHROMATIC VISION
words Harper Ellis
Project Images Jason O’Rear, courtesy of Beacon Capital Partners
Portrait of Natalja Kent Dana Pleasant
In the heart of West Los Angeles, a striking new public artwork is redefining the urban landscape. Commissioned for 1440 Sepulveda, this large-scale installation by Czech-American artist Natalja Kent injects bold color, movement, and vibrancy into the neighborhood, offering a dynamic visual experience that shifts with the viewer’s perspective.
“This piece is a public homage to the delightful and healing power of light, color, movement, and play,” says Kent. Inspired by its surroundings, the work not only enhances the building’s architectural presence but also fosters a deeper connection between the space and the community.
Originally built in 1986, 1440 Sepulveda was a solid structure in need of a transformation. Beacon Capital Partnersacquired the building with a vision to create inspiring workplaces, enlisting Ware Malcomb as the repositioning architect and Club Studio to consult on branding, art, and environmental graphics.
BRINGING ART TO THE FACADE
One of the biggest challenges of the project was translating Kent’s intricate, light-based work into a durable and maintainable facade-scale installation. The goal was to preserve the richness of color and detail while ensuring it could withstand time and elements.
The process took nearly two years, with a deep exploration of materials and techniques. The final work, now an unmistakable presence in the neighborhood, is a testament to the transformative power of art in architecture.
A PALETTE INSPIRED BY LOS ANGELES
Kent drew inspiration from the surrounding environment—the ocean’s deep blues, the lush green park across the street, the golden sunlight filtering through trees, and the energy of West LA’s diverse community. “I meditated on these external elements and performed a movement meditation with lights in response,” she explains. Using light-sensitive paper, she recorded her movements, translating them into architectural-scale chromograms—her signature abstract, gradient-infused works.
HONORING THE LIGHT AND SPAVE MOVEMENT
For the mural, Kent created seven large-scale chromograms using a process she developed over seven years. Each composition reflects the rhythms of the neighborhood, the hues of the Pacific Ocean, and the play of nearby public spaces. The artwork was then scaled up, transferred onto powder-coated aluminum panels using a pigment process, and baked onto 12 x 4-foot panels for lasting vibrancy.
Inside the building, the artistic experience continues. The lobby, with its soaring ceilings, is flanked by a full-length living wall on one side and Kent’s vibrant works on the other, infusing the space with creativity and energy from every angle.
