These images come from a pre-residency trip to Los Angeles– May and June 2005. Considering the amount of chaos & personal change that’s occurred since, I am unable, literally unable, to comprehend that it’s only been 2 Years and 10 Months. That trip proved to have huge consequences– determining my fate for several years and, very possibly, into the foreseeable future.

On May 31st, 2005, I was on Hollywood Boulevard and espied black smoke coming over the tops of buildings– the fire was on the roof of the Sunset & Vine Tower, which had stood vacant since 2001. I snapped a few images. Until yesterday, I had forgotten that they existed.

The building has since been stripped to its barest and is being retrofitted with ugly glass into a condo tower.

Anyway, here’s the thing burning:

One will note that the last image is of the photographer’s descent into the Hollywood & Vine Red Line Metro station. This picture is a relic of by-gone days; there’s currently a huge Hotel/Apartment/Retail complex being built around the station. This, then, is a lost view. C’est la guerre.