Mosaic Master

Eden Memorial Park

Mosaic Archway, designed by Joseph Young

Over the weekend, I learned that artist, Joseph Young passed away at the age of 87. I'd met Mr. Young a couple of times at LA Conservancy events. He was the artist reponsible for many beautiful public murals and mosaics across Los Angeles County.

Photographer, Larry Underhill, attended Mr. Young's funeral at Eden Memorial Park in the San Fernando Valley yesterday and took some photos of the mosaic arch that Mr. Young designed for the Jewish Mausoleum.

Recently, we visited Young's "Los Angeles Skyline" mosaic mural (1955) at Parker Center. To quote the LA Conservancy "Mosaic L.A." pamphlet, "Thirty-six feet long by six feet tall, when it debuted, it was the world's largest glass mosaic mural executed by an American artist. Created using over 250,000 Venetian glass tesserae, the mural hangs in space, floating over the floor, cantilevered from two building support columns. It took Young over two years to complete, and was the first of his several public art pieces in downtown."

Another one of Mr. Young's creations was the Triforium (1975), across from the L.A. City Hall. It recently became operational again after years of neglect.

Mr. Young decorated many churches, synagogues and other public spaces in this country, including his last commission in 1992, The Los Angeles Holocaust Monument, located in Pan Pacific Park, Miracle Mile area of L.A.. You can read about his life here.