In the span of several years, Jean Francois Bouchard lived for approximately six weeks in a squatters community in California’s desert. The squatters were living on the former site of an decommissioned military base. He captured the landscape and the stories of the residents through his evocative photography.
There are 400-500 people living here who do not have access to electricity, running water or waste removal. They also live outside the jurisdiction of local governments. The reasons they chose to join the community are varied; some want freedom while others were forced by economic uncertainty.
Bouchard says that “most of them” live in abandoned RVs or shantytowns. Some of them are motivated by libertarian ideals or a desire for adventure. For many, this is the final stop in a long journey to homelessness – and a stark reminder about California’s inequalities.
Residents of the community feel a sense of distance from the “Babylon” outside, except in that debris and pollution often find their way to the desert.
Bouchard’s portrait of a place that has been shaped by harsh conditions, desert heat, and limited resources is currently exhibited in New York City. The Exile From Babylon is Bouchard’s portrait of an area that has been shaped and molded by harsh conditions and desert heat.
While living and sleeping in this community, Bouchard noticed that the branches of the trees were dotted with garbage. The scene was post-apocalyptic and reflected a greater truth about environmental degradation, inequality and loss in California.
Bouchard explains, “I thought the trees were a metaphor for the harsh desert environment and its inhabitants.” The photographs in the exhibition are beautiful, but they also reflect the harsh realities of the families who have to live in squatters communities.
The artist says that the memories of people he encountered while living in this country linger even though they are not directly pictured. He says that the presence of children was emotionally charged for him. I decided not to include them in my photographs. But, for me, their presence is still felt throughout this work, and the memories that will remain with me forever of this surreal location.
The eerie ambience running through the work comes from light painting photography. Bouchard confesses that “all these images, except for one, were shot using a flashlight purchased at a dollar shop.” In this remote community he used what he could. He was able capture as much of the light possible by using long exposures. The technique also created a ghostly appearance in the branches, a reminder of the unnoticed presence of humans throughout the landscape.