Bareket Kezwer, “Keep Going” PHOTO BY HALEY HILL
Little Italy is awash in vibrant hues thanks to the works of renowned artists and the support of Kilroy Realty CEO John Kilroy.
Ben Eine, “Ciao” PHOTO BY HALEY HILL
Another look at the work of Paul Wackers. PHOTO BY HALEY HILL
While Kilroy Realty (kilroyrealty.com) has already made a colorful mark with its collective 14 million square feet of commercial real estate throughout California; Austin, Texas; and Seattle, its commitment to brightening up the cities in which it invests is what makes Kilroy much more than a real estate powerhouse. Fueled by his passion for the arts, CEO John Kilroy has tapped local and international artists to create one-of-a-kind pieces for dozens of his properties. The result is more than 300 pieces strewn across Kilroy’s West Coast real estate portfolio, with around 50 works on display to the public—the latest of which are found in Little Italy at 2100 Kettner (2100kettner.com), a mixed-use building for both work and play. “We look at each of our projects in a unique way but always within the context of how it keeps on giving,” says Kilroy. In that spirit, artist Ben Eine, a colleague of the enigmatic street artist Banksy, adorned the outside of the building with a handpainted “Hey” mural in his signature New Circus typeface teamed with a neon “Ciao” signboard, which honors Little Italy’s heritage. On Hawthorne Street, strollers will find Bumblebeelovesyou’s playful “Chillin’ in San Diego,” a mural that depicts a skateboarder kicking back with a slice of pizza, while another wall features the property’s largest installation—“Keep Going,” an 80-foot-wide, rainbow-bright fabric mural by Bareket Kezwer. And just in time for the holidays, the 20-foot, three-dimensional “Kilroy Star” by Oakland’s Engineered Artworks will illuminate the top of 2100 Kettner with more than 30,000 LED-lit bulbs through March 15. “Now, more than ever, we need avenues that inspire, and in a post-pandemic world, the role of public art will be even more important,” says Kilroy. Now that’s painting the town.
Paul Wackers, “To walk around in your mind awhile. Everything as it is and where it was meant to be.” PHOTO BY HALEY HILL
Bumblebeelovesyou, “Chillin’ in San Diego” PHOTO BY HALEY HILL
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