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My garden - South Central Farm vigil
Roger Howard 2006-Jun-26 19:10:00
I had posted earlier about the South Central Farm in Los Angeles - the largest urban farm in the United States. Two weeks ago it was served an eviction notice after a protracted legal battle and years of uncertainty regarding the land the farm sits on. This farm is composed of approx. 300 plots covering 14 acres of land in an otherwise blighted and miserable part of Los Angeles, surrounded by dirty streets, housing projects and trucking and rail warehouses. The land was tended primarily by a mix of South American, Asian American, and African American families from the area and it was a monument to nature and life standing in a prior war zone of racial tension and poverty.
After the raid no one was able to re-enter the farm, however there has been a non-stop vigil at the site, at least until a court hearing in mid-July. The vigil started as an informal gathering each night and is now a 24/7 camp outside the perimeter fence. As a result, of course I'm not able to get in to the site itself, but I felt the story was now really on the outside so I chose to depict that scene.
The following pano is one I've selected for the moment from a series done within the vigil camp.
<http://gallery.rogerroger.org/v/places/scfarm/20060623scfarm02.mov.html>
I also shot several from the roof of my truck, on the end of a monopod, to give me the highest vantage and widest view of the farm possible, but I felt while interesting they lacked the punch of the more intimate scenes from the camp.
If interested in the scale and scope of the farm, Google Earth has a great view. The coordinates are:
34? 0'32.02"N
118?14'28.21"W
I'd appreciate any feedback on this pano before making my final submission.
Best,
Roger Howard