Bram Coopens ‘Bombay Beach’: A Unique Look At A Once-Thriving Community (17 Pics)
Part of the exclusive online showroom developed by All About Photo, this exhibition is on view for the month of January 2023 and includes seventeen photographs from the series ‘Bombay Beach’.
BOMBAY BEACH by Bram Coppens
Bombay Beach is a place in Imperial County, California, USA. The population was 231 at the 2020 census. It is located on the Salton Sea, and is the lowest community in the United States, located 223 feet (68 m) below sea level.
It was once a popular getaway for beachgoers until the 1980s, when the draining and increasing salinity of the Salton Sea destroyed the lake's ecosystem and drove businesses and private landowners out of the area, rendering Bombay Beach a ghost town. Despite this, by 2018, a number of people had moved into the area, and the town's many abandoned structures and features from its past have drawn visitors back in. Bombay Beach was "enjoying a rebirth of sorts with an influx of artists, intellectuals, and hipsters who have turned it into a bohemian playground." The Bombay Beach Biennale, an annual art festival, is held here.
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It says Drive In but nowhere does it say Drive Out. Those poor people. The show was "Closed for the winter".
This is where they found the three blondes frozen to death waiting for "Closed For Winter" to start...
Load More Replies...Living in Los Angeles at that time, I knew the Salton Sea, so it was on my list to visit for years. Hearing that it was turning into some sort of artist micro community triggered me to finally do that road trip and go.
Arriving there and while waiting for the perfect light situation, I was drawn by the atmosphere and the artistic community, but above all drawn by the desolate vibes.
As I wanted to translate this desolate vibe into a visually driven language and capture the authentic look and feel of the moment, I tried to steer away from any obvious new art installation and tried to focus on the dead Salton Sea part, the ghost part of the town.
The series was shot in Bombay Beach, California in 2019 on Medium format analog 6x6 film.
Which house are you in? You can't miss it, there's a cow on the roof.
Load More Replies...I'd run away from home if my family made me ride anywhere in that contraption. (see what I did there).
For the low price of $2500 mo. Utilities not included.
Load More Replies...I like it. Bet there used to be lots of good relaxing going on there.
Half of the photos are not Bombay Beach but are at salvation mountain at the Slabs, 20 miles from Bombay Beach. I know because I have been a weekender or resident since 1965.
so people just dropped their cars and vans and left?
Load More Replies...Salton Sea, yes! Used to be thriving community until it began to dry up. Now you can smell the rotting fish miles before you reach the place.
Load More Replies...You never have to worry about raking the leaves!
Load More Replies...Driven through the area... but it's missing one thing: Smell-O-Vision!
It's not a ghost town. I've been there. The place with all the Jesus/God quotes is actually a house made of straw and clay. And people actually live there. It's federal land so they don't pay taxes on it (it gets freaking hot in the summer) but there is also no utilities so what I saw where people bringing water in, solar/wind options, etc.
It's not a ghost town. I've been there. The place with all the Jesus/God quotes is actually a house made of straw and clay. And people actually live there. It's federal land so they don't pay taxes on it (it gets freaking hot in the summer) but there is also no utilities so what I saw where people bringing water in, solar/wind options, etc.
