Metropolitan to Unveil Gallery Commemorating Centennial of Famed Southern California Watercolorist, 10/13

By: Christina Mancuso Oct. 10, 2014

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California:

WHAT:		Approaching the 75th anniversary of Colorado River Aqueduct deliveries to Southern California, Metropolitan Water District to open a new gallery showcasing the work of artist Rex Brandt. The celebrated watercolorist documented the building of Metropolitan's aqueduct during the 1930s.

WHEN:		4:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 13

WHERE:		South Gallery, Metropolitan Water District headquarters, 700 N. Alameda St., adjacent to historic Union Station, downtown Los Angeles

PARTICIPANTS:		Metropolitan board Chairman Randy Record, General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger and Brandt family descendants

VISUALS:		Gallery exhibit features watercolors, lithographs and etchings centered on Brandt's early work as well as video of the artist recounting aqueduct construction and other early Southern California water infrastructure artifacts and images

BACKGROUND:		Famed California scene painter Rex Brandt launched his career in 1936 at age 22 after completing art studies at the University of California at Berkeley. Upon returning to his home town of Riverside in search for a job during the Great Depression, he discovered crews nearby building Metropolitan's aqueduct. Without permission, Brandt made his way onto the jobsite and began drawing and painting scenes from the monumental engineering task, including construction of the 13-mile tunnel under Mt. San Jacinto.

		After an April 1937 Fortune magazine story on Metropolitan's aqueduct project featuring his watercolors gained national attention, Brandt was granted carte blanche aqueduct access. Over the next four years, he captured at least 17 more iconic scenes. Toward the end of his career in 1995, believing his works should be shared with the public and not hidden in a private collection, Brandt offered some of his aqueduct pieces to Metropolitan.

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