STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: December 16, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Chad Lynn, Deputy Director of Special Projects, Public Safety Subject: Recommendation by the Rodeo Drive /Special Events /Holiday Program Liaisons for Rodeo Drive Committee Partnerships with Mr. Brainwash for 2026 Public Art Displays
Attachments: 1. Overview of “Museum on Rodeo Dive” Public Art Display Proposed Partnership with the Rodeo Drive Committee and Mr. Brainwash, January 2026 – October 2026
2. City Council Liaison Rodeo Drive / Special Events / Holiday Program Committee Report from November 10, 2025
(without attachments)
INTRODUCTION
Staff requests the City Council review and provide direction related to the recommendations of the Rodeo Drive/Special Events/Holiday Program City Council Liaisons of Mayor Nazarian and Councilmember Friedman and the proposed partnership between the Rodeo Drive Committee (RDC) and artist Mr. Brainwash. This includes the concepts for a public art display on Rodeo Drive from January/February 2026 to October 2026, and a recommendation to waive approximately $6,000 in special event and public right-of-way permit fees related to the installation and display of the associated artwork.
DISCUSSION
The Rodeo Drive Committee (RDC) has regularly activated the street with public art displays that offer photo opportunities for shoppers and visitors. In 2024 and 2025 successful and safe exhibitions from Mr. Brainwash and Richard Orlinski were well received by Rodeo Drive merchants, media, and the public.
Public art displays on Rodeo Drive have been featured during many previous activations, including photo backdrops and temporary artistic display. On Rodeo Drive, installations garner significant traditional and social media attention from residents, businesses and visitors. In 2019 Mr. Brainwash large-scale art was temporarily displayed before being installed long term. In 2023, City Council approved the RDC “IMAGIRO” collaboration with Mr. Brainwash, with large-scale origami artwork. In 2024, Mr. Brainwash partnered with the RDC for a heart-themed “Life is Beautiful” exhibition of sculptures during the first half of the year, while for the first time, acclaimed French artist Richard Orlinski partnered to Meeting Date: December 16, 2025
display large-scale animal sculptures that timed with both Rodeo Drive Celebrates events and lasting through the 2024 holiday season and are still currently displayed.
Thierry Guetta, best known by the moniker Mr. Brainwash, is a French-born street artist with worldwide recognition whose Beverly Hills contemporary art museum opened in December 2022. The proposal for the display “Museum on Rodeo Drive” (Attachment 1) turns the actual brands and blocks of the iconic location into the backdrop for art and photos, by having the public interact with large and small frames. Two world-renowned art pieces, Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and da Vinci’s Mona Lisa will be reimagined with a Beverly Hills twist, inviting the public to join in the art. These pieces exist in the public domain and may be manipulated for display as such.
For this exhibit, there are approximately ten (10) pieces total between the frames and displays and is proposed to be on display during 2026 between February and October of 2026. The exact dates to be determined so they may be coordinated with Rodeo Drive Celebrate events and holiday décor removal. The RDC will lead the marketing and promotion of this campaign, with support from the City and City partners.
As with all displays of this nature, all permitting, review, and inspections will be completed by the City. There is no waiver of the City’s review process or insurance requirements requested at this time. Each piece will be offset from the curb, a minimum 5-6 foot pedestrian pathway will be maintained, and no entrances to businesses will be blocked.
All merchants that are adjacent to the pieces will be consulted and engaged prior to the installation of the displays. The Rodeo Drive bollards will be coordinated with the location of the art displays. The bollards have been designed to be moved or removed for cases such as temporary displays, and the placement of these sculptures will be coordinated with City Departments, including Public Works, Police, Fire, and Community Development.
The artists’ teams, in coordination with the City, will complete the installation, cleaning, maintenance, and removal of the displays. The City will provide the language for signs that are posted on art displayed around the City related to security and surveillance.
During the Liaisons’ review, concern was raised about the use of classic ‘fine’ art in a popculture setting. The RDC explained the tie-in with the many displays of this type at the Mr.
Brainwash museum located at 465 N. Beverly Drive and the bridge this creates to an interactive ‘Museum’ experience on Rodeo Drive and recognizing the focus of this experience for social media engagement and visitor photo opportunities. There was also a robust discussion around the specific types of displays that will be present, including what will be flowers, frames, flat and three-dimensional torsos for display. The Liaisons recommended:
• Flowers - Two Displays
• Mona Lisa
o Two Flat Display Torsos with Frames
o Two Flat Display Torsos without Frames
o Four Three-Dimensional Torsos
Meeting Date: December 16, 2025
Unfortunately, while working through details for installing and securing the artwork to the pedestals for public interaction, it was discovered that the proposed ‘flat’ displays were not practical for this purpose. The displays will continue to be holding various items (e.g heart, dog, etc.) however they will now either be Three-Dimensional Torsos or Torsos with Frames, with the RDC recommending the following configurations:
• Flowers - Two Displays
• Mona Lisa
o Two Three-Dimensional Torsos with Frames
o Six Three-Dimensional Torsos
Consideration of the duration of the art display was the last major consideration discussed.
Traditionally, art displays are for six-month durations on Rodeo. The current Orlinsky display will be seven months, and there have been pop-up displays for as short as three months. At the time of the Liaison meeting, concerns were discussed related to the eight or nine-month proposed display period which was to begin in January of 2026 and remain through October 2026. Based on the change in proposed configurations and the coordination of work in the Museum, the Artist anticipates a February to October installation. Although not finalized in a formal recommendation, the nine-month1 display period discussed reflected consensus provided the displays could be removed a month or two earlier if the artwork for the latter part of the year was ready for display and installation prior to October. Staff will return to the City Council once there is a specific proposal for new artwork for the latter part of 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no request for funding for this program. There is a request for the waiver of permits and inspection fees in an approximate amount of $6,000, the exact amount to be determined upon final configuration.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve the proposed artistic concept for the partnership between the Rodeo Drive Committee and Mr. Brainwash for the “Museum on Rodeo Drive” and the waiver of the associated fees in an approximate amount of $6,000. 1 The duration of the installation date discussed at the Liaison meeting was nine-months with a January start. Since the Liaison meeting, it is likely the installation will take place in February, reflecting an eightmonth display, which could be further reduced based on the next selection of Rodeo artwork.
Keith Sterling
Deputy City Manager
Approved By
Attachment 1
MR BRAINWASH
MUSEUM ON
RODEO DRIVE
BEVERLY HILLS
2025
295 N RODEO DR
BEVERLY HILLS
Louis Vouitton
1 Mona Lisa Frame
270 N RODEO DR
BEVERLY HILLS
Two Rodeo
2 Pop Flowers
300 N RODEO DR
BEVERLY HILLS
Van Cleef
3 Mona Lisa Rodeo Drive Sign
333 N RODEO DR
BEVERLY HILLS
Tod’s
4 Mona Lisa Blue Balloon Dog
338 N RODEO DR
BEVERLY HILLS
Balenciaga
5 Mona Lisa Red Heart Balloon
357 N RODEO DR
BEVERLY HILL
Ferragamo
6 Mona Lisa Blue Heart Balloon
411 N RODEO DR
BEVERLY HILLS
Cartier
7 Mona Lisa Frame
400 N RODEO DR
BEVERLY HILLS
Chanel
8 Mona Lisa Pink Balloon Dog
411 N RODEO DR
BEVERLY HILLS
Cartier
9 Mona Lisa Beverly Hills Sign
469 N RODEO DR
BEVERLY HILLS
Rive Droite
10 Pop Flowers
1 7 4 1 2 V e n t u r a B l v d . # 2 1 E n c i n o , C a l i f o r n i a 9 1 3 1 6 ( 8 1 8 ) 4 6 8 9 9 2 0 W e b s i t e : I L Y A e n g i n e e r i n g . c o m S a m @ I L Y A E n g i n e e r i n g . c o m
STRUCTURAL CALCULATIONS
BASED ON
CHECK BY: S.M.
Job Address:
1110 Seward St,
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Job No 527
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
1 1 7 4 1 2 V e n t u r a B l v d . # 2 1 E n c i n o , C a l i f o r n i a 9 1 3 1 6 ( 8 1 8 ) 4 6 8 9 9 2 0 W e b s i t e : I L Y A e n g i n e e r i n g . c o m S a m @ I L Y A E n g i n e e r i n g . c o m
STRUCTURAL CALCULATIONS
BASED ON
CHECK BY: S.M.
Job Address:
1110 Seward St,
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Job No 527
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
1 Attachment 2
CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS
POLICY AND MANAGEMENT
MEMORANDUM
TO: City Council Liaison/Rodeo Drive /Special Events /Holiday Program Committee
FROM: Chad Lynn, Deputy Director of Special Projects, Public Safety DATE: November 10, 2025
SUBJECT:
Review and Consideration of a Recommendation to the City Council Regarding a Public Art Installation on Rodeo Drive for 2026 ATTACHMENT: 1. Overview of “Museum on Rodeo Drive”, Public Art Display Partnership with Rodeo Drive Committee and Mr. Brainwash for 2026
INTRODUCTION
Staff is requesting the Beverly Hills City Council Liaison for Rodeo Drive/Special Events/Holiday Program Committee (Liaisons) of Mayor Nazarian and Councilmember Friedman review the proposed partnership between the Rodeo Drive Committee (RDC) and artist Mr. Brainwash for a public art display on Rodeo Drive in 2026. RDC is requesting support of the installation concept and a waiver of the associated permit fees.
DISCUSSION
The Rodeo Drive Committee (RDC) has regularly activated the street with public art displays that offer photo opportunities for shoppers and visitors. In 2024 and 2025 successful and safe exhibitions from Mr. Brainwash and Richard Orlinski were well-received by Rodeo Drive merchants, media, and the public.
This report provides an overview of the proposed RDC art partnerships for 2026 with acclaimed artist Mr.
Brainwash, including the art displays in sculpture, locations, and details, dubbed “Museum on Rodeo Drive.”
There is no request for funding for this program. There is a request for the waiver of permits in an approximately amount of $6,000 along with support for the displays with a formal recommendation by the liaisons to the City Council.
Public art displays on Rodeo Drive have been featured during many previous activations, including photo backdrops and temporary artistic display. On Rodeo Drive, installations garner significant traditional and social media attention from residents, businesses and visitors. In 2019 Mr. Brainwash large-scale art was temporarily displayed before being installed long term. In 2023, City Council approved the RDC “IMAGIRO” collaboration with Mr. Brainwash, with large-scale origami artwork. In 2024, Mr. Brainwash partnered with the RDC for a heart-themed “Life is Beautiful” exhibition of sculptures during the first half of the year, while for the first time, acclaimed French artist Richard Orlinski partnered to display large-scale animal sculptures that timed with both Rodeo Drive Celebrates events and lasting through the holiday season and into 2025.
Thierry Guetta, best known by his moniker Mr. Brainwash, is a French-born street artist with worldwide recognition whose Beverly Hills contemporary art museum opened in December 2022. The proposal for the display “Museum on Rodeo Drive” (Attachment 1) turns the actual brands and blocks of the iconic location into the backdrop for art and photos, by having the public interact with large and small frames.
Two world-renowned art pieces, Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and da Vinci’s Mona Lisa will be reimagined with a Beverly Hills twist, inviting the public to join in the art. These pieces exist in the public domain and may be manipulated for display as such. For this exhibit, there are approximately fourteen (14) pieces total between the frames and displays during 2026.
This experience is proposed to be on display during 2026, with exact dates to be determined so they may be coordinated with Rodeo Drive Celebrate events and holiday décor removal. Additional details typically required of displays, such as the full engineering for permitting and accompanying banner designs, will be brought to the City Council as part of formal approval.
As with all displays of this nature, all permitting, review, and inspections will be completed by the City.
There is no waiver of the City’s review process or insurance requirements requested at this time. Each piece will be offset from the curb, a minimum 5-6 foot pedestrian pathway will be maintained, and no entrances to businesses will be blocked. All merchants that are adjacent to the pieces will be consulted and engaged prior to the installation of the displays.
The Rodeo Drive bollards will be coordinated with the location of the art displays. The bollards have been designed to be moved or removed for cases such as a temporary displays, and the placement of these sculptures will be coordinated with City Departments, including Public Works, Police, Fire, and Community Development.
The artists’ teams, in coordination with the City, will complete the installation, cleaning, maintenance, and removal of the displays. The City will provide the language for signs that are posted on art displayed around the City related to security and surveillance.
The RDC will lead the marketing and promotion of this campaign, with support from the City and City partners.
FISCAL IMPACT
The request for the waiver of permits is estimated to be approximately $6,000.
There are no other funding requests of the City for this campaign.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommend City Council Liaisons provide a recommendation related to the partnerships between the RDC for a public art display on Rodeo Drive with Mr. Brainwash for 2026, including the waiver of approximately $6,000 of permit fees.