405 [Handstand]

“405” is a portrait of the busiest and most congested freeway in California, the 405. This series explores the suburbs and streets off the exit ramps along the 72-mile stretch from Irvine to San Fernando. Affected massively after the lockdown was announced, there was an almost instantaneous environmental and social reaction to the lack of cars on the usually backed-up lanes. Traffic in Los Angeles has always been a daily talking point for most who live here, and this clear reaction to the pandemic was fascinating to witness. Two years on, and as the city tries to get itself back together, the traffic returns with a vengeance. Still, a major talking point but with added darkness. There has been a rise in violent road rage reports, shootings, a sense of lawlessness, and the smog is as thick as ever. This work is an objective portrait of the 405 freeway and what surrounds it. This photograph has been hand-printed by the artist and minted outside of the "405" series as a standalone art piece.