Watts Towers of Simon Rodia (The Towers, 1957) California VISIONARY Architecture Fantasy Environment

[AntonioRodiaIsSexy]

I like how he says "rodilla"... dumbass

[hmscollingwood]

As any student of architecture will know, all art and architecture is derivative. Like homie music in the hood. The inspiration for this set of towers and the accompanying pottery, tile and glass inlays at the base is probably the church of Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona, Spain. He started to build it in 1882 (completion proposed for Gaudi's Centenary in 2026). His monumental Sagrada de Familia (Sacred Family) cathedral is like an upscaled version of Watts Towers. You bloods need to get out more.

[xmustanguyx]

I represent Art 160 @ Mjc...NOW WHAT!!!!!!! haha, just kidding!!!

Good luck to all you guys/gals trying to get that extra credit!

[Flashstick2005]

Yall writing shit anyway. Noone of you sukker ,frontin on youtube about towers and black and white, was ever threr 4 real. you all have to search a hobby. paralell life motherpukkas.

[Joelomite]

This is awesome! I just went to LA and had no idea about this...When I return, I'd like to check it out, as well as the Forestiere Underground Gardens, located in Fresno. Rodia was a one of a kind artist.

[TheJomogogo]

@Joelomite

When I was a boy in the 50's I used to play on the Watts Towers but now it's not safe to go there because we lost control of all the niggers.

[190ECC]

pass by that shit everytime on the train..anyway thats in fake st hood, fucc fakes

[askari103]

@190ECC fucc ECC and yall dead homies yall mutha fucca's got to go on baby loc

[askari103]

@askari103 fucc all toast 187

[190ECC]

@askari103 nigga fucc fakes cuhz yall niggas aint puttin in no work anymore we takin yall out just like the flowers haha on baby lotion my ass, well talk to you later you fake ass nigga i gotta get off this fuccin computer and go dump at you niggas haha 103rdK.

[zacatetas]

@190ECC you on tha computer nigger

[uani69]

amazing a true visionary, its a shame when you come on you tube and read comments by people who have nothing better to do than insult other people. enjoy the vid and leave the negative comments elsewhere

[JaJr07]

He was my mothers Godfather. Isabel Rico Jaramillo. I have a bible to prove it.

[UrbanSpaceEpics]

This is not about funding or even 'art' as its commodified these days ... this is a solid work of love inspired imagination.

After Simon R. died funding did come into the picture though when officials wanted to demolish due to concerns over the safety of the towers. At which time the Anglo-American surrealist Edward James put the money up for the structural testing. Legend is the cranes that applied torque to the tower tops actually began to tilt.

Edward J. moved to Mexico and copied S.R..

[UrbanSpaceEpics]

Its a sacred place,

[dganir1]

Yeah right. Someone funded this. No one could have gotten away with building such tall, ugly structures that look like radio towers without catching the attention of city officials for violating all kinds of building codes and height regulations.

[HunterMann]

This is a wondrous thing to see in person. If you head southeast from there you can see the equally impressive Salvation Mountain in Niland, CA. I really love art environments!

[ReimaKalevi]

wow!!!

[treadwellfolkart]

tremendous!

[CalifArtCollector]

That was awesome, thank you for posting!!!

[thaLISTnation]

wtf is he saying

[DEEPTHROAT36]

I've got to see this!

[nitramgnal]

Seems almost everywhere you go on Youtube, you come across low life morons. This is inconceivably beautiful, and a work of unparalleled human endeavour.

[nicoseuropa]

bello!

[MrDibly]

the film color is not very good here...

watts towers is very vibrant and brilliantly colorful!

[MrDibly]

i went to see this incredible place!!!

i was there!

it was not open to the public at the time, but we pleaded with the people at the info office... who then let us in to see for ourselves what a truly magical place thie WATTS TOWERS really is. and the story behind it...

simon rodilla was an incredible man!!!!!!

[shaygold08]

People from all walks of life visit the Watts Towers. But you wouldn't know that with your small mind. You ignorant fool.

[Wintamint]

dude....not cool.

[xXxthasiftaxXx]

and i fight for yo momz pussa being black!

[ConsciousReflection1]

You pathetic low life scum... I am English, and you wouldn't even be welcome in our country. You should find something better to do with your time, because you have ALREADY LOST YOUR BATTLE. I want you to think long and hard about that when you sleep at night!! There is no such thing as white America...it never existed in the first place. So go find something more constructive to do, like throwing yourself off a cliff, I bet even your mother wouldn't care less.

[bethellodge]

Is it just me or does this guy keep saying "Rodilla"? wtf?

[sfkitkat]

Yes, he is saying "Rodilla"; the reason as was explained by the wonderful people who run the information center next to it: the makers of the documentary interviewed his neighbors, who were largely hispanic. Because in Spanish you would write "Rodilla" to pronounce "Rodia", the neighbors inadvertently gave the documentarians a wrong spelling, which the narrator pronounced phonetically, Ls and all. That's why, and your hearing works just fine.

[laxandgriptape]

no i didn't

[laxandgriptape]

i hate you

[bluejean74]

I went here today. It is something to see! Like a boat.

[barflewk]

I used to play on the Watts Towers as a kid in the 50's, it was a cool place to go. That was back when we kept the niggers in check.

[Krkrkillr]

Well,cracker..Try bringing your white-ass now..Those flat-ass cheeks of yours will be handed to you by some gang-banging wetbacks! LOL!

[RationalEmotive]

Why did you come over here soil this commenting section of great art with your promotion of race hatred and race conflict? Why does it have anything to do with Simon Rodia? Shame on you.

[spottedliver]

They should set this man's life to a movie. Brad Pitt would do an o.k. job.

[bethellodge]

Don't you think an italian actor would be more suitable than Pitt?

[DecimusMehrt]

Edward Norton would be better

[spottedliver]

That would be good, but now I'm thinking Adrian Brody.

[wildbell]

Thank you for sharing this video. I saw it during my most recent visit to the towers last year. I've lived in Los Angeles my entire life and only experienced the towers for the first time in 2007. Now a year won't go by without me making the trip to marvel at how magnificent they are.

[ohforshitssake]

I live in LA and am always saddened when people that have lived here longer than me have never been or even heard of these towers and their creator.  Thanks for sharing.

[Krkrkillr]

It's a multicultural center now...

[jjsep06]

inspirational