Each section of the wall was designed by a different artist under the supervision of Baca. The style of the mural is considered to be Social Realism. The subject matter of the Great Wall of Los Angeles doesn't shy away from uncomfortable aspects of current and past social practices. The design and composition of the wall are also considered major aspects of the art's appeal. Baca's composition uses sweeping lines broken up by a sense of movement from the characters and subjects depicted. Because the Great Wall of Los Angeles depicts historical events, the mural is part of Grant High School and Valley College's curriculum. History The possibility of creating the mural was first brought up in 1974 when Baca was contacted by the Army Corps of Engineers about a beautification project. While Baca was working as a consultant for the Tujunga Wash Greenbelt Project, she was offered the chance to beautify the flood-control channel. The wall along the river was considered an ugly eyesore, or in Baca's view, "a scar where the river once ran". Funding from the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) enabled her to assemble an artist workforce to begin the mural. The Great Wall of Los Angeles as an idea was more fully fleshed out in 1976 by Baca. Baca chose to do an epic-sized history of Los Angeles county, going back to the time of the dinosaurs. She first researched highlights of Los Angeles history on her own. During the summer of 1977, Baca studied at the Taller Siqueiros in Cuernavaca to reinforce her knowledge of mural techniques, studying preservation, chemistry, and more. She studied the polyangular theory of David Alfaro Siqueiros, which deals with the differences between mural and easel painting. The project, named Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC), converted an abandoned Venice police station into mural headquarters. The site was used to coordinate workshops, archive materials relating to the project, and run other programs. In addition to the many experts in various academic fields, Baca recruited a team of artists to help with the project, including Isabel Castro, Yreina Cervantez, Judithe Hernández, Olga Munoz, Patssi Valdez, Margaret Garcia, Christina Schlesinger, Judy Chicago, and Gary Tokumoto. With the additional help of the City, the Corps of Engineers, and SPARC, Baca was ready to start work by the summer of 1978. Each section of the Great Wall of Los Angeles was developed