The winter 2007 AntiMall took place in Highland Park at La Culebra community space. (Other locations have included the South Central Farm, the Southern California Library, and the El Sereno Community Garden.)
Laura Palomares of El Puente recently described the origin of the AntiMalls on KPFK’s Uprising. (the full interview with her can be downloaded here:
http://uprisingradio.org/home/?p=2200). According to her, the idea came about in the mid-‘90s while she was “working with the Zapatista women and helping them sell their artwork at a just price. They were not able to make a living wage. So [I decided] ‘I’ll take some with me back to L.A. and sell some.’ It started that whole relationship with them about a communal economy, working cooperatively, [and] what that means. I learned so much from them.”
Near the entrance of the AntiMall was a list of the “Artivists” (“artists who are also activists”) and what they do for their communities. For example, a qualified vendor may “mentor a child, volunteer at a community garden, [or] donate art pieces to social justice organizations,” Palomares said.
The items on sale came from numerous places from “Chiapas to Afghanistan to Venezuela.” Food from the South Central Farmers was available as well. Live performers included In Lak Ech (websites:
http://www.inlakech.net/ and
http://www.myspace.com/inlakech) , Zocalo Zue (website: myspace.com/zocalozue), and Quincy McCrary (website: myspace.com/qemistrysoul) with DJs including Black Shakespeare (see: myspace.com/blackshakespearemusic), Songo Electriko, and Vampiro Fronterizo.
La Culebra has served as a community space for many years for events such as sweat lodges, poetry readings, and women’s circles. Palomares told Uprising that the park was let go by the city and thus began to attract drugs and violence. Recently, however, it was taken over by Art Corps LA, which has restored it as a community resource. (Location: 240 Ave. 57, near North Figueroa.)
