CARMAGEDDON/LA 405 is upon us. The freeway, a major N/S route through the Los Angeles basin is closed for the weekend to provide for the demolition of one side of a major bridge, the same closure to be repeated in six months for the demolition of the other side. All to improve traffic flow in my city.... or so they say.
I will be out photographing on the 405 today/tomorrow in connection with my long-term project, GRIDLOCK, a project that is very much about being a Californian, about being in a car, about being stuck in traffic. It was first exhibited in 2010 MOPLA Pro'ject LA 160 Photographers Photograph Los Angeles.
From my website: "I am photographing from my driver's window, mainly with my viewfinder-less Leica D-Lux3/now D-Lux5. Stopped. Crawling. Trapped. Riding on the clutch as I stay in 1st should the flow move on. Immobile in a place of presumed mobility. Hoping to catch that elusive abstraction even while those behind me glower and gently nudge my car along."
Due to a knee injury last summer I recently had to abandon my 5-speed standard shift car and in so doing, although I have continued the series, a major element of the chance and risk of the project has lessened and it feels like the project may be coming to an end. So.... I have decided that Carmageddon seems like a good time, the possible ultimate GRIDLOCK.
Thus today and/or Sunday, I plan to try to be somewhere in my car on the freeways or highways, probably on the 405 south of the 10, to experience and document what is happening in the same manner as I have conducted the series. Again, it is always about chance and as is seen so far, it could be a Y2K bust or, I may never get off.
So far, traffic seems to be light but I'll see firsthand in a couple of hours. http://www.405la.com
I will post some photographs during the weekend!
