A Swim in the Desert

A SWIM IN THE DESERT is a meditation on the construction and collapse of a California Dream. The film opens with the protagonist, K, unable to close her eyes after encountering a spectacular scene of shimmering waters in Alabama Hills, composed of found footage from Hollywood films made possible by the opening of the LA Aqueduct. Following a terrifying and bizarrely personal clinic diagnosis, K goes on a journey for remedies, only to encounter a ghost from the tragic St. Francis Dam collapse in 1928 and a drained Owens Lake. As the sun sets and night falls, the film closes with choreographed swimming movements on dry land as if the water were still there, or had finally returned.

Coffee Kang is a visual artist based in Los Angeles. She primarily works with photo, video, installation, and performance. Kang holds a BA in Creative Media from City University of Hong Kong (2016), and an MFA in Photo and Media from California Institute of the Arts (2018). Her works have been showcased at The Box, Last Projects, MAK Center, Launch LA, A Room to Create, LA Artcore, LACE, and Phase Gallery. She and her projects have received various grants.

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