Sabato Rodia

Place: Serino

Born: 1879

Death: 1965

Biography:

Early Life and Career

, also known as Simon Rodia, was an Italian immigrant who lived in the United States. Born in Serino, Italy in 1879, he spent most of his adult life in Los Angeles, where he built the Watts Towers, a collection of 17 interconnected sculptural towers, architectural structures, and individual sculptural features and mosaics.

The Watts Towers: A Masterpiece of Outsider Art

The Watts Towers are an example of outsider art (or Art Brut) and Italian-American naïve art. Designed and built solely by Rodia over a period of 33 years, from 1921 to 1954, the tallest tower stands at 99.5 feet (30.3 m). The site is now part of the Simon Rodia State Historic Park, a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and one of nine folk art sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Los Angeles.

Design and Construction

Rodia's armatures are constructed from steel rebar, wrapped with wire mesh, and decorated with found objects, including bottles, ceramic tiles, seashells, figurines, mirrors, and other items. The main supports are embedded with pieces of porcelain, tile, and glass. [https://Wikioo.org/@@/D4CSX7-Sabato-Rodia-Watts-Towers](Painting by 'Sabato Rodia' | Sabato Rodia:Watts Towers (Public Art in Public Places (California, United States),Sculpture,))

Legacy and Preservation

The Watts Towers were designated a National Historic Landmark and a California Historical Landmark in 1990. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watts_Towers](Wikipedia: Watts Towers) provides more information on the site's history and preservation efforts.

• Key Facts:
  • Born in Serino, Italy in 1879
  • Spent most of his adult life in Los Angeles
  • Built the Watts Towers over a period of 33 years (1921-1954)
  • Designated a National Historic Landmark and California Historical Landmark in 1990
• Related Artists:
  • [https://Wikioo.org/@/Carlo-Jeannerat](Artist: Carlo Jeannerat)
  • [https://Wikioo.org/@/Michelangelo-Buonarroti](Artist: Michelangelo Buonarroti)
• Related Paintings:
  • [https://Wikioo.org/@@/D4CSX7-Sabato-Rodia-Watts-Towers](Painting by 'Sabato Rodia' | Sabato Rodia:Watts Towers)
  • [https://Wikioo.org/@@/9GG6G7-Michelangelo-Buonarroti-The-conversion-of-Saul-(detail-)](Painting by 'Michelangelo Buonarroti' | Michelangelo Buonarroti:The conversion of Saul (detail - ))