Bob Marley Experience unites fans under ‘One Love’

Located only a few blocks from his Hollywood star, the “One Love Experience” at The Ovation Hollywood is a deeply interactive exhibit dedicated to the legacy of reggae icon Bob Marley. Initially set to run until April 23, the exhibit has been extended through May 21. 

The journey through Marley’s rise to fame greets visitors with a showcase of the platinum and gold records he earned throughout his lifetime. Among the various vinyls and relics stands an enormous vinyl record piece, painted in rasta stripes, symbolizing the magnitude of his world impact musically. 

Following the music room is the One Love Forest, a teleportation into Nine Mile, the Jamaican village where Marley was born. With a careful ear, one can hear sounds of the tropical jungle, animal shrieks, chirping birds and plants rustling in the wind. Filled with lush greenery, the One Love Forest depicts the climate of the countryside, a prime location for harvesting marijuana, which is largely associated with Marley and Rastafarian culture. 

Between the leaves on the walls are large prints of Marley “smoking herb,” as he called it. Marley believed the herb was the healing of a nation, and the act of smoking it was a large part of his religion, lifestyle and lyrics. The feeling of relaxation is felt from head to toe the second visitors step into the room. The cannabis garden is complete with a sculpture of a giant joint, a wooden swing for photos and bean bag chairs placed throughout for individuals to sit down and enjoy the calm ambience before moving to the music in the Soul Shakedown studio. 

Inspired by the track “Soul Shakedown Party,” this section of the exhibit provides headphones for visitors to catch a rhythm and feel the joy of Bob Marley and the Wailers’ music flow through their bodies under a glimmering disco ball. The studio is perhaps one of the most sensory parts of the experience. The walls are lined with incredible concert photographs and a filmed live performance projection. 

Aside from Marley’s passion for music, the “Three Little Birds” singer also had a great affection for the game of football. When away from the recording studio, he could be found at a park dribbling a ball between his feet or scrimmaging against his friends. According to the BBC, the sport brought out a competitive side to him and mesmerized those who watched him play. To highlight his love for the sport and stir up a bit of friendly competition, emerges the beautiful Life zone. The space holds a foosball table, soccer net and pinball machine for guests to enjoy. Among the games are action shots of Marley on the field, as well as a display of Adidas shoes, still speckled with dirt from gameplay. 

Moving out of the zone and into the concrete jungle, brightly colored murals and graffiti pieces captivate viewers’ eyes with striking street art. Trash cans and wooden benches are coated with vibrant spray paint, and rainbow colored bricks form the background for pop-art style portraits. The art here references the style of art featured in inner-city areas across the globe, such as Kingston, the city Marley’s hit song “War”  is about. 

Lyrics from tracks such as “War” can also be seen between murals. The content of the lyrics speak on themes of discrimination and poverty that marginalized groups are subjected to due to racism. 

The placement of the seating facing directly in front of the art creates an area of reflection about the harsh conditions of living in an environment such as West Kingston, but also the resilience of its residents and ability to create beauty through art. 

The “One Love Experience” is completed with a section focused on Bob Marley’s children and grandchildren, highlighting their accomplishments as music artists. The room mainly contains photographs, but in the center is a large sculpture of a tree with clothing pins dangling from long strings, holding notecards. 

Surrounding the tree are tables with pencils and blank cards where visitors answer the prompt “What does one love mean to you?” to close the experience, leaving visitors feeling reflective, united and radiant.