𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗡𝗗: Santa Monica’s Singing Beach Chairs Get a Fresh Coat and Polished Notes

SANTA MONICA, CA — Friday, August 8, 2025 — Santa Monica Beach maintenance worker Richard spent the day power washing and repainting one of the city’s most beloved public art pieces, the “Singing Beach Chairs.” The freshly restored chair now gleams in its original soft mint color, with the companion chair scheduled to receive its own refresh in Arctic blue next week. Created in 1987 by San Francisco artist Douglas Hollis and commissioned by the City of Santa Monica in partnership with the Santa Monica Arts Foundation, the towering 18-foot chairs are constructed of pastel-painted steel and aluminum. Each features vertical stainless-steel tubes that transform ocean breezes into oboe-like tones, projecting sound as far as 500 feet. Positioned on the sand between Pico Boulevard and the Santa Monica Pier, the pair has become one of the city’s most recognizable interactive artworks, inviting beachgoers to both listen and lounge while the wind provides the music. Santa Monica Closeup will continue to follow restoration work as the second chair gets its fresh coat next week.