• Post Office - Culver City CA
    The post office in Culver City, CA, was constructed in 1940 under the Federal Works Administration (FWA). The building design is late Moderne style. It has a central recessed entrance with large windows and four pillars without capitals. There are no decorative elements on the exterior other than two large brass lamps and a flagpole holder. The interior is intact, with original tile floors, woodwork and post boxes. There is a mural at one end of the lobby (see linked project). After the federal reorganization of 1939, the agency responsible for the construction and maintenance of federal buildings—the Procurement Division, renamed the...
  • Post Office Mural - Culver City CA
    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. 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,...