City of West Hollywood Announces Live Performance Artwork: ‘The Silence Between Lines: A Journey Completed’ By Artist Hedy Torres

As part of the City of West Hollywood's Art on the Outside program, the City announces the upcoming live performance artwork The Silence Between Lines: A Journey Completed by artist Hedy Torres. The performance is scheduled for Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Plummer Park's Fiesta Hall, located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard.

The Silence Between Lines: A Journey Completed is an intimate performance artwork centered on themes of immigration, identity, and resilience. The project traces its origins to Torres's dissertation work (2016-2018), during which she interviewed Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and created a series of five unfinished charcoal portraits symbolizing the uncertainty of each person's legal status. These works were later acquired by California State University, Northridge, with the agreement that the artist would be able to borrow and complete them once her subjects achieved permanent residency.

In late 2024, one participant, Lino Perez, received his Green Card (Permanent Resident Card). In response, Torres will present a live performance artwork inside Plummer Park's Fiesta Hall in which she will complete his portrait while conducting a recorded interview. Sitting on her caballito (art horse chair) with Lino seated before her, the artist will invite audience members to gather around in a circle, offering their own questions for Lino and engaging in a shared exploration of his migration story, the long emotional toll of legal limbo, and the personal meaning of finally attaining permanent residency. The conversation will be filmed by videographer Gustavo Stebner in a podcast-style format and later edited for digital release and public exhibition.

Through personal storytelling and communal dialogue, the performance artwork will illuminate the lived experiences behind immigration policy, offering a resonant narrative of perseverance, transformation, and belonging. Artistically, The Silence Between Lines extends Torres's ongoing practice at the intersection of drawing, performance, and social engagement. Completing Lino's portrait almost a decade after its creation fulfills a conceptual promise while marking a moment of closure in the artist's evolving commitment to elevating hidden stories and overlooked voices.

Hedy Torres is a Mexican-born artist based in Los Angeles whose work draws from her early experiences as a street vendor and explores immigrant life through portraits, working hands, and objects of daily labor. She holds an MA in Painting and Drawing from California State University, Northridge, and has presented solo exhibitions at Seis Gallery and Olympic Club. Torres has received numerous awards and grants, including First Place in the Irvine Art Center's "All Media" Exhibition (2024), the Eastside Art Initiative Grant (2025), and support from the California Arts Council and The Center for Cultural Power. Her work has been featured at Charlie James Gallery, Brea Gallery, and in the Los Angeles Lakers' In the Paint program with Band of Vices Gallery.

The Art on the Outside Program is the City of West Hollywood's temporary art program that installs rotating artworks throughout the City. The artworks can include sculpture, murals, digital art, and other works. All projects are subject to the Art on the Outside program review and approval process through the City's Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission. The program is funded through the Public Art & Beautification Fund.

The City of West Hollywood's Arts Division delivers a broad array of arts programs including Art on the Outside (temporary public art), Arts Grants, City Poet Laureate, Drag Laureate, Free Theatre in the Parks, Library Exhibits, Summer Sounds + Winter Sounds, Urban Art (permanent public art), WeHo Pride Arts Festival, and WeHo Reads. For more information about City of West Hollywood arts programming, please visit www.weho.org/arts.

For more information about this artwork or about the Art on the Outside Program, please contact Marcus Mitchell, the City of West Hollywood's Public Art Administrator, at [email protected] or at (323) 848-3122. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing dial 711 or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY) or 1-800-735-2922 (voice) for California Relay Service (CRS) assistance.

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For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood's Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or [email protected].