Community members plant trees at the new Del Aire Public Fruit Park. | Photo: Fallen Fruit
Since 2004, Fallen Fruit—a collaboration among CalArts Critical Studies faculty Matias Viegener, alumnus David Burns (Art BFA 93) and Austin Young—has focused on work that incorporates fruit, urban space and public life with video, photography, site-specific installations and participatory events in cities around the world.
On Saturday (Jan. 5) at 10:30 am, the collective’s most recent Los Angeles-based project culminates in a formal dedication of the first urban public fruit park in California to the county of Los Angeles. The new public art installation, the Del Aire Public Fruit Park in Hawthorne, Calif., was funded by a $40,000 grant from the Los Angeles County Arts Commission to help collectively re-imagine the function of public space.
Fallen Fruit with the local community planted 22 fruit trees in the park; about 50 trees were distributed around the Del Aire neighborhood for planting on or adjacent to public space. The public is responsible for maintaining and harvesting the fruit produced by numerous varieties of fruit trees and grape vines.
Community members plant trees at the new Del Aire Public Fruit Park. Photo: Fallen Fruit
We have worked towards this goal for over 8 years. Since the early days of Fallen Fruit we imagined neighborhoods coming together to create new shared resources, transforming the way we think about the places we live.
For several years, Fallen Fruit created maps of “public fruit” growing on or over public property in Los Angeles neighborhoods. Since then, the group has assembled fruit tree maps of different American cities and cities in Spain, Sweden, Colombia and other countries. The maps, which include the varieties of public fruit that can be picked during each season, can be downloaded via Fallen Fruit’s website.
Read more about the fruit park and Fallen Fruit in a recent Take Part article, and the announcement from Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.
Del Aire Public Fruit Park Dedication
Fallen Fruit
12601 S. Isis Ave, Hawthorne
Jan. 5, 10:30 am
Free