US skater Alysa Liu made a splash at the Milan-Cortina Olympics with her unique style, her fascinating history and, of course, her gold medals in the women’s singles competition – the first for an American woman since 2002 – and in the team event.
His works caught the attention of local artist Gustavo Zermeño Jr. He wanted to be sure to capture it all in his new mural honoring the 20-year-old athlete in Gardena.
“Obviously winning the gold was a big factor” in his choice to paint Liu, Zermeño said.
But when the Mexican-American artist learned more about the Chinese-American publisher, he found inspiration in other aspects of his life as well. That includes the Oakland native’s two-year retirement from age 16, his enrollment at UCLA and his decision to express himself in his own way.
“He’s a first-generation American, like me,” Zermeño said. “So I feel like that tie, going to UCLA, him quitting skating for a while and jumping back in and being himself — you know, growing up in Venice, I feel like that’s kind of what made me an artist. Venice allowed me to be myself, to be wacky on the boardwalk, musicians, actors, things like that.
US skater Alysa Liu poses with the gold medal she won in the women’s singles on Feb. 19 at the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.
(Matthew Stockman / Getty Images)
“So I feel like there was a lot of communication outside of him winning the gold medal. But in the end, I think he deserves his flowers, man. He accomplished something, and I feel like his personality is what’s getting all this support from people.”
Zermeño was driving to get dinner near home earlier this week and noticed a wall he thought would be perfect for his Liu-inspired project outside the Coe’s Glass & Mirror building at 15532 Crenshaw Blvd. It turns out that Zermeño knew the business owner casually, although Alex Lopez said he never realized that his former neighbor was a muralist.
Nevertheless, Lopez approved the project immediately after seeing samples of Zermeño’s work and a digitally created version of his vision of Liu’s painting.
“I mean, I probably should have gone up the order list and asked the landlord for permission, but I knew it was going to turn out amazing,” Lopez said. “I just said, ‘Let’s take it.’ The landlord came this morning and loved the piece. He was really happy that we did it.”
Artist Gustavo Zermeno Jr. he said he was inspired to paint the mural dedicated to US sprinter Alysa Liu for reasons ‘beyond her winning a gold medal.’
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Zermeño started painting on Tuesday and hopes to have it finished early next week. The mural will feature three portraits of Liu, including two of her skating, but the center piece is a larger-than-life photo of her from the women’s singles medal ceremony.
In it, the light-haired athlete smiles widely as he pretends to remove the gray from his golden mane, fully revealing his now-famous “smile” that pierces the muscles that connect his upper lip to his gums.
‘I think it really represents his personality and where he comes from, the Bay Area,’ said artist Gustavo Zermeño Jr. for his mural of US figure skater and Oakland native Alysa Liu.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
“I like that it’s rough around the edges, but good at the same time,” Zermeño said of the photo. “I think it really represents her personality and where she’s from, the Bay Area. And so I feel like it just looks, you know, a little hood but at the same time, being a figure skater, it has a softness to it. And that’s what I wanted.”
Lopez added: “I love him. Just him in general, as a person, I think he’s great. What he’s been able to accomplish in the Olympics is amazing in the United States and just in California. I’m honored to have his mural here. I feel like he represents the community and our business well.”
