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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.
More info: all-about-photo.com | Instagram | coppens.studio
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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".
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.
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.
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.
