Flashback to the “Love Your Bean” WeHo Art Installation by Cosimo Cavallaro

August 29, 2020

It was towards the end of the summer of 2013 when the city of West Hollywood spilled the beans at Weho Park. Here’s a flashback to when the city’s Art on the Outside program installed three giant brightly colored jelly bean sculptures by renowned artist Cosimo Cavallaro.

The “Love Your Bean” exhibit was installed on August 27, 2013, on San Vicente Boulevard facing the Pacific Design Center. The official city opening reception was on Thursday, September 5th. The shiny large-scale (they measured approximately 5’ x 5’ x 10’) sculptures in the shape of the beloved jelly bean candy brought a quirky randomness to the city. The candies on display represented a green apple, orange Sunkist and black licorice.

The temporary art installations was an effort to enhance the City’s pedestrian-friendly culture. The budget for the project was limited at $4,500, but it brought a high level of aesthetic quality and artistic integrity.

Photos by © Jon Viscott – www.viscottimages.com Photographs May Not Be Reproduced Without Permission and License.

Photo © Jon Viscott – www.viscottimages.com Photographs May Not Be Reproduced Without Permission and License.

Cavallaro worked alongside Southern California fabricator Jack Brogan over the course of a year. A jelly bean sculpture was cut out of Precision Board Plus with a chainsaw and then sanded down with 36 grit sandpaper for a smooth finish. A 2-part mold was made out of fiberglass to create two more replicas. The molds were joined together and painted with vibrant acrylic paints for a beautiful jelly bean finish.

“I’m happy.” Cavallaro said during the installation. “This was nine months of labor. It’s a boy! Somebody said that it makes her smile. This is just a gesture of love. There is no anger, there is no political message. It’s just about peace and love. It is about beauty and happiness.”

Cosimo Cavallaro was born in Montreal in 1961 to Italian immigrants. He spent his childhood attending art schools in both Canada and Italy. After working as an award-winning television commercial film director throughout the 80s and 90s, Cavallaro focused his attention back to the visual arts. In 1995 he created a unique body of work from perishables that have been exhibited throughout the United States and abroad, including a Chocolate Jesus and a Twiggy in Cheese.

Art on the Outside is a program of the City of West Hollywood’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission that brings art out into the public realm to enhance the City’s lively pedestrian-friendly culture.