Bakersfieldceleb Jorge Guillen

Jorge Guillen has put in over 4 months of work into his downtown art project and Bakersfieldcelebs finally caught up with him. At first glance, it looks like an electrical box with some art on it, but in reality it is a work of art. Jorge told us it has a combination of Mayan and Egyptian Hieroglyphics and that many of the symbols & images represent the surrounding area of 19^th and H Street. One side of the box shows the Nile River and directly to the west is The Nile Theater and another side gives the Padre Hotel a shout out, Jorge told us. There are too many symbols and meanings to mention, but the box is worth a look the next time you are in the area. The whole project is funded by both the State and County, and the Kern County Arts Council. It is also supported by the BPD and The Downtown Anti Graffiti Project. These boxes are all over downtown and there are many different artists painting them. When we asked if anyone ever vandalizes them, Jorge said “Not very often, I feel the people of downtown give them respect, and that’s good“. Before these boxes were covered with art they were covered with flyers and graffiti and were a real eye sore. Jorge told us his project is near completion but he will always check up on it for any touch ups. For Jorge it’s a passion, and it shows in his work.