james benning. el valley centro

year: 1999 locations: “i began el valley centro in november of 1998; i was driving through the great central valley looking for places to film. i wasn’t going to start shooting for at least six months; i wanted to just look and listen – to get to know the Valley well before i would make images. but almost immediately i came across an oil well fire with flames high into the sky. i returned home for my bolex and nagra. determined that landscape is a function of time, i let a full roll