Carousel Horse Art Exhibit
Harold Segerstrom, left, and Henry Segerstrom, right, stand in front of land now occupied by South Coast Plaza.
From street sign adornments to a merry-go-round ride in Carousel Court, carousel horses have been part of South Coast Plaza’s iconography from the very beginning. While South Coast Plaza was being built, the carousel horse was featured in advertisements for the Segerstrom development, alluding to the fun with family and friends that the center would eventually bring to the community.
This year, a new carousel horses can be found inside of the center as part of the Carousel Horse Art Exhibit. The exhibit recently debuted at Festival of Children, a month-long event to educate the community about the work the foundation’s 75 children’s charities are doing to help children of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
The Festival of Children Carousel Horse Art Exhibit showcases nine hand-decorated carousel horses, some designed by professional artists such as Wyland, the famed marine life artist and environmental activist. They range from traditionally painted horses to horses covered in photographs documenting South Coast Plaza’s history. Near Jewel Court, you can spot a teddy bear with a bandaged arm riding atop the CHOC carousel horse. Across from Rolex, the LA Chargers’ horse clasps a pigskin.
“The carousel is at the heart of Festival of Children Foundation, symbolizing how our nearly 500 member charities come together and move in the same direction to support our country’s children,” said Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, founder and director of Festival of Children. “Our new Carousel Horse Art Exhibit is a fun and creative way to raise funds for the annual Festival of Children program at South Coast Plaza, while also shining a light on the tremendous work of the charities in our network.”
The horses will be on public display throughout South Coast Plaza through September 30 and will become a permanent element of the annual event. At the end of the exhibit, the horses will be auctioned to raise additional funds for Festival of Children.
