- City:
- Culver City, CA
- Site Type:
- Murals, Art Works
- New Deal Agencies:
- Treasury Section of Fine Arts (TSFA), Arts Programs
- Completed:
- 1941
- Artist:
- George Samerjan
- Quality of Information:
- Good
- Marked:
- Unknown
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
In 1941, George Samerjan painted a 12′ x 10′ tempera mural titled “Studio Lot” for the Culver City, CA, post office. It was commissioned by the Section of Fine Arts (SFA).
Samerjan was inspired by the MGM studios located in Culver City. “The scene depicts a film stage, as is evident by the framing that is visible behind the house façade and the support that attaches the tree limb to the base in the foreground. [The artist] initially wanted to paint the behind-the-scenes workers who create movies, such as script researchers, machine shop mechanics, and the projection crew. After pushback from MGM, George created this design which alludes to the various work that goes into creating movies” (see www.georgesamerjanart.com).
Samerjan also completed SFA murals at the post offices in Maywood and Calexico, CA.
Note: Established in 1939, the Section of Fine Arts succeeded the Treasury Section of Painting and Sculpture (1934-1938) and the Treasury Section of Fine Arts (1938-1939) in overseeing artworks created to enhance public buildings, notably post offices.
Source notes
Originally posted on The New Deal Art Registry
Post Office Murals, George Samerjan (accessed Mar. 30, 2023)
Additional photos by Jordan McAlister
Site originally submitted by Gray Brechin on February 14, 2010.
Additional contributions by Richard A Walker & Natalie McDonald.
At this Location:
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John Samerjan
This is the work of my late father George Samerjan, who also executed Maywood (lost) and Calexico.
I do have sketches and archival correspondence from Treasury about these projects.
John – please send us scans or photos of whatever sketches and letters you have, and we’ll put them in the database. And when you say Maywood and Calexico, do you mean Post Office murals or what exactly?
R. Walker
I recently went inside the Culver City Post Office for the first time and was intrigued by the mural. I’m so glad to find out about the artist and the installation, as no one at the post office knew anything about it! I’m not even sure they were aware of it.
I was born in Culver City in 1940 … and have fond memories of going to this post office & seeing this mural in the lobby.
We lived around the corner & down the street from this post office on Duquesne St.
Our next door neighbor & good friend – George Gale – worked at this post office – & I remember going to this post office with my parents & seeing / visiting with George.
I’m VERY glad this mural has been preserved !
The mural depicts movie sets – on the lots – at the movie studios that were located in Culver City – from the 1920’s to the 1960’s = MGM ( where my Dad worked from 1936 – 1965 – and I worked from 1959 – 1960 ) – RKO / SELZNICK / DESILU – HAL ROACH – INCE STUDIOS.