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Issue date: 4/15/08 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: James Lim David Bacon portrays the harsh conditions of immigrant farm workers in So. Cal. [Click to enlarge]

Living Under the Trees, a photographic art exhibit by artist and activist David Bacon, is now on display in the San Diego Mesa College Art Gallery through April 17.

The exhibit consists of large color photographs and text panels of oral histories, documenting the life of indigenous, immigrant Mexican farm workers in Southern California. The communities in this exhibit are located in "sub-communities," often in rural areas, of San Diego, Coachella, Corning, Arvin, Chatinos, Santa Paula, Santa Maria, Santa Rosa, Fresno, Fairfield, Oxnard, Selma, Salinas and Greenfield. One of the goals of this exhibit is to raise public awareness and support for these communities.

The photographs and text panels provide a detailed view of the harsh working and living conditions of the immigrant farm workers. The immigrant farm workers are Mixtecos, Triquis, Zapotecos, Chatinos and Purepechas. They mostly come from Oaxaca and Guerrero in Mexico, and come to pick fruits and vegetables, such as olives, onions, grapes and strawberries, for a living.

Along with harsh working conditions, the immigrant farm workers are also faced with inadequate and temporary makeshift shelters of tents or shanty cardboard structures in ravines or dry river beds. In Del Mar, the community of immigrant farm workers live in makeshift housing in a ravine just below many Del Mar homes. The shelters are temporary as they are often moved from place to place to accommodate homeowner complaints.

Moving through the exhibit, the photographs and text panels tell a story of survival. Through the harsh living and working conditions, a vibrant and colorful culture of music, dance, food and healthcare is emerging.

You can also see many of the pictures from the exhibit on Bacon's Web site, http://dbacon.igc.org.

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