Sam Rodia, CAUpward Spiral1879–1965 
(left to right) Sam Rodia, Silver Lake Heart, c. 1920; concrete, stone, glass, shells; Sam Rodia, Watts Towers (site details, Los Angeles, CA), photo: Marvin Rand. Courtesy of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. An Italian immigrant, Sam Rodia is believed to have built the largest structure ever made by one man alone. Known as “The Watts Tower,” the structure still stands within the urban sprawl of Los Angeles. Rodia’s astonishingly beautiful 100-foot-tall towers—built from discarded tiles, broken dishes, bent steel scraps, and concrete—were made entirely without bolts, rivets, or welds. The Arts Center has been able to acquire one of few existing works known to have been created apart from the towers, made for the home of his boss in Long Beach, CA, before Rodia moved north and commenced his legendary tower project. Related Links
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