This document proposes turning unused land in Los Angeles parks into organic gardens to educate the public about industrial agriculture and promote healthier eating. Volunteers would plant and harvest seasonal crops to share with their communities. The gardens would be decorated by locals and managed like community-supported agriculture farms. Produce from the initial gardens would be used to start new gardens in other parks. Monthly workshops would teach people how to prepare healthy meals and the benefits of local, organic food. The goal is to bring communities together around food and the environment through hands-on learning.

1. Land as Art
HC 177: Biotech and Art
Caitlin Colleary
Anthropology

2. Abstract
There are approximately 450 parks in the Los
Angeles area, one in nearly every
neighborhood, which contain hundreds of acres
of unused land. This land would be perfectly
suited for gardens where volunteers can learn
to plant and harvest seasonal crops for the
people in their communities. These gardens
will act as a way to inform the public about
the current industrial agricultural system in
place and how they are effected.

3. Concept/Topic
By providing a place for people to learn
about and practice local, seasonal, and
organic agriculture, the community will learn
the importance of knowing where the food they
are eating comes from and what is in it. This
project will inform the public about the
effect the food they consume has on the
environment and individual health through
hands-on participation and will raise
awareness about alternative means of
procuring food and how essential it is to
know what exactly is on the shelves at the
supermarket.

4. Context and Precedents
Recent films like Food, Inc. have brought awareness to the
current state of food in this country. However, the
convenience of shopping at grocery stores and low prices
on regular produce makes it difficult for people to seek
alternatives.
Artist Mel Chin began his project Revival Field in 1990.
In a landfill in Minnesota, Chin planted a variety of
plants that extract heavy metals from the soil, with the
goal of reclaiming the land. “Artists like Mel Chin are
expanding the definition of art... Traditionally, the
process of creating art has been an individual pursuit. By
contrast, ecological art... is a cooperative effort with
the community.”

5. Project Proposal
My project will begin with a dozen test sites across the
Los Angeles area where volunteers from the local
communities will pair up with ecological artists and local
organic farmers to create organic vegetable gardens.
Each garden will be decorated by the people who live in
the area and the crop choices will be made based on what
is currently in season.
Once these gardens are up and running and a crop has
already been harvested, the people who participated at the
test sites will go to new parks and help those communities
create their own gardens with seeds from the originals.

6. Project Proposal
The produce from the gardens will be for the members of
the community. The people who volunteer to work there will
receive vouchers for free produce.
The gardens will be run much like a CSA (community
supported agriculture) farms where people in the community
will pay a monthly membership fee. They will receive a box
of the produce when it is harvested.
After the initial start-up costs, which will come from the
Department of Parks and Recreation budget, the membership
fees will go to the up-keep of the gardens and because
they will be taken care of by volunteers, there will be no
further cost to the city.

7. Project Proposal
This will be an incredible opportunity to share
information with the community, while giving its members
access to healthy food.
There will be monthly workshops which will include
speakers who will inform members of the community about
the benefits of eating locally grown, organic food, and
there will also be lessons in how to prepare healthy meals
using seasonal produce.
Local schools will also be invited to become involved with
the process because learning about how to eat well and
responsibly at an early age is very important. Not only
will the children learn about a proper diet, but they will
also have an opportunity to get some exercise outside.

8. Conclusion
This project’s aim is to bring local communities
together, using currently untapped resources, in an
effort to spread awareness about current ecological
conditions and encourage people to take an active
role in their diets, making people aware of
alternatives to conventionally grown, genetically
modified foods.
“Within contemporary ecological art practices, many artistic approaches
and attitudes about environmental issues have been used to find solutions
to reconnect nature and culture. From this diversity and advocacy,
ecological restoration becomes deeply connected to art and education
through community involvement.” - Barbara Matilsky, museum curator

9. References
City of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation
http://www.laparks.org/dos/ranger/faq.htm
Food, Inc. (movie)
http://www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-issues.php
Mel Chin (artist)
http://www.satorimedia.com/fmraWeb/chin.htm
http://greenmuseum.org/c/aen/Issues/chin.php
Community Supported Agriculture
http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

10. Bibliography/Links
“Frequently Asked Questions.” City of Los Angeles Department of Recreations and Parks.
2010. Web. <http://laparks.org/>.
“About the Issues.” Official Food, Inc. Site - Hungry for Change?. Web. <http://
www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-issues.php.>
“Mel Chin.” Satori Media. 09/26/2009. Web. <http://www.satorimedia.com/fmraWeb/
chin.htm>.
“Special Evening Salon.” FarmLab. Web. <http://farmlab.org/2008/02/mel-chin-special-
evening-salon-february.html>.
“Art and Ecology.” Green Museum. Web. <http://greenmuseum.org/c/aen/Issues/chin.php>.
“Community Supported Agricultre.” Local Harvest. Web. <http://www.localharvest.org/
csa/>.
Matilsky, B.C. (1992, March/April. “Art and Ecology.” Museum News.