5 Places: Astrid Kayembe

5 Places is a LAND series where we talk about a handful of places that are significant to artists and collaborators.

sister dreamer lauren halsey’s architectural ode to tha surge n splurge of south central los angeles, by artist Lauren Halsey, is a sculpture park and monument to South Central Los Angeles, the neighborhood Halsey and her family have lived in for generations.

The sculpture park features countless homages to the neighborhood. LAND Operations Coordinator Astrid Kayembe writes about the sights that stood out to her when visiting sister dreamer lauren halsey’s architectural ode to tha surge n splurge of south central los angeles for the first time.

Magic Johnson Theater

Crenshaw and King. There’s a joke in the TV show Girlfriends, which takes place in 2000s L.A., that’s something to the effect of “I’m going to the Magic Johnson theater, next to the Magic Johnson Starbucks and the Magic Johnson —” In addition to the theater and Starbucks, at one time, Johnson owned a shopping center and restaurant.

To this day, my friends and family still call the movie theater behind Crenshaw Mall “Magic Johnson Theater” or simply “Magic Johnson.” It took my looking up and around in the pavilion at sister dreamer, lauren halsey’s architectural ode to tha surge and splurge of south central los angeles to realize it was never called Magic Johnson Theater officially in the first place. (It was actually called “Magic Theatres.” It's now called the Cinemark Baldwin Hills Crenshaw and XD).

Photo by Astrid Kayembe.

It brought back memories of my friends and I sneaking double (even triple) features as teens as the theater changed names and ownership over time. Seeing the Crenshaw Mall’s descent from the nexus of teen life has been heartbreaking. Whatever the mall becomes in its next iteration, I hope it provides a safe and welcoming landing spot for the neighborhood’s youth and families, as it always has been. Halsey’s inclusion serves as a monument to what it looked like for someone to invest in and treat L.A.'s historically Black neighborhood with dignity.

Photo by Astrid Kayembe.

Sam’s Watermelons

Normandie and Gage. Owned and operated by a SoCal track star, Tyrus Deminter, Sam’s has been a neighborhood staple for over 50 years. Known for their yellow watermelons brought in straight from Texas. Their colorful, wooden signs are a touch of whimsy to an otherwise unsuspecting intersection, and a sweet connector to Black Angelenos with Southern roots. There’s magic everywhere you look in South Central. That’s always been my favorite part about it. Seeing this stand depicted moved me to tears.

Kindle’s Donuts

Normandie and Century. Though I used to consider this the knock-off Randy’s Donuts, I learned that Kindle’s (originally Big Donut Drive-In) is actually Randy’s Donuts’ (originally Big Donut Drive-In #2) elder by 2 years. They are the first two of 10 Big Donut locations. I’ve always been a glazed twist girl and don’t venture much outside of that. I have heard great things about their cinnamon roll, though.

Sidecar Donuts? Don’t know her. Pink box dozen and white parchment bags have always been my jam.

Photo by Allen Chen.

Waz Up!

Western and King. Talk about origins of style. I remember coming here with my uncles whenever they’d need a new pack of white tees or new basics for a new job uniform. We’d get khakis for my school uniforms there, too. My first time in an art gallery ever was to see that Waz Up! sign standing tall at David Kordansky Gallery in 2020. Though much of that intersection is still the same — the fruit man on the corner outside Bank of America, the Popeyes, the unhelpful AutoZone folks — it’s a testament to how places that once felt permanent have been made to feel ephemeral. sister dreamer monumentalizes people and places — sites of memory — to remind us that we’ve been here and will continue to be.

Woody’s Bar-B-Q

Florence and Gramercy. You can always smell Woody’s from a block away. In a town whose identity as a barbecue city is constantly under attack by newcomers from places like Texas and St. Louis, Woody's is a classic establishment that has seen generations of South Angelenos come through its doors. In addition to Woody’s, there are plenty of other great places to dine and snack near the sculpture park: M’Dears Bakery and Bistro (also depicted in sister dreamer), Burger Palace, Bleu Bird, and Baba’s Vegan Cafe.