A 70-foot mural of Academy Award winner Anthony Quinn in his 1964 role as “Zorba the Greek” that is known as the “Pope of Broadway” is getting restored. $150,000 is benchmarked for the restoration project, according to a joint announcement by Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar, actor Edward James Olmos and the Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles that is a mural restoration group.
The mural was created by artist Eloy Torrez in 1985 on the side of the Victor Clothing Building on Broadway. Quinn’s outstretched Jesus-like arms as he dances the Greek syrtaki over a parking lot are sometimes interpreted as a welcoming gesture to the city’s homeless. Over the last few years the mural has been in a bad state and is suffering from paint chipping, faded coloring, moisture damage and graffiti defacement.
“‘The Pope of Broadway’ is not only an important part of our Bringing Back Broadway initiative, it is a masterful piece of art that reminds us of the importance of mural restoration and the reason we overturned the 11-year ban on murals on private property: so artists can create new masterpieces.”
The campaign to restore the mural was started by Quinn’s son, Francesco, prior to his death in 2011 at the age of 48. The project is scheduled to start in early 2015 and will be finished by 2016. The restoration group will work closely with the original artist so as to retain the integrity of the mural.
“‘The Pope of Broadway’ speaks of our history, of our past and of our future,” said Isabel Rojas Williams, the Executive Director Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles. “Quinn trail-blazed and opened many pathways for today’s Latino artists, who continue to fight to be acknowledged by Hollywood. It’s the face of richly diverse Los Angeles. It’s a man claimed by all: Anthony Quinn! And, for me, it’s also very personal; his son, Francesco Quinn, was a friend of mine.”
The scene that inspired the mural –
