Garden #2

Garden #2″ documents JoAnn Elam, her second husband Joe Hendrix, and an unidentified man in the backyard garden of Elam’s Logan Square apartment in Chicago. The camera appears to be passed from person to person as it records them tending the garden, barbecuing, and drinking Old Style beer while playing with a cat. This film differs from other garden films in Elam’s collection in that it also features leisure activities in the garden, rather than strictly working with the plants. However, its numbering (#2) suggests a relationship to a currently undigitized film “Garden #8, 10, 11 Outs” (F.2011-01-0095), as well as ” Garden 84 ” (F.2011-01-0153), in which leader separating some film segments is labeled “12,” “13,” and “14.” This numbering may indicate a larger method of organization within Elam’s work.