[CAPTIONS MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET TELEVISION] ♪ >> WATER IS THE COMMON OF ALL LIVING THINGS.

CERTAINLY IN THE LAST 150-1 HUNDRED 60 YEARS, WE THINK ABOUT WATER AS A COMMODITY THAT WE CAN EXPORT FROM ONE PLACE AND THEN DISTRIBUTE AS A RIGHT OF OUR CITIZENSHIP.

BUT THERE IS MUCH OLDER AND EARLIER WAYS TO THINK ABOUT WATER.

WE ALL NEED TO ASK PERMISSION, HONOR THE WATER.

ALMOST EVERY CULTURE HAS THAT DEEPLY EMBEDDED INTO IT.

MOST PEOPLE THAT I WOULD TALK TO WHO LIVE IN LOS ANGELES HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHERE THEIR WATER CAME FROM, LET ALONE THAT WE ARE APPROACHING A BIG ANNIVERSARY.

SO THE QUESTION OF HOW YOU CELEBRATE SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T EXIST BECAME PERPLEXING TO ME.

THE REAL WAY TO COMMEMORATE SOMETHING IS TO OFFER A SOLUTION.

[THUNDER] >> ONE OF THE THINGS THE VALLEY HAS PAID DEARLY FOR AS A RESULT OF OUR LIFESTYLE, IT HAS CONSISTENTLY SHRUNK OVER TIME BECAUSE IT REQUIRES A LOT OF WATER TO SUPPORT OUR LIVELIHOOD.

THOSE PEOPLE IN THE VALLEY DESERVE SOME OF THE BENEFIT SINCE THEY ARE PAYING A LOT OF THE COST.

ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.

THE METABOLIC STUDIO'S ENGAGEMENT IN THE VALLEY, WE WORK WITH A NETWORK OF GROWERS TO TURN COMPOST INTO SOIL BY ADDING CARBONS THAT COME FROM THE MILK PACKING INDUSTRY WHICH IS STILL WORKING IN THAT VALLEY.

THE MULES WERE USED TO BUILD THE AQUEDUCT IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND THEY WERE USED AT THAT SAME TIME BY TEDDY ROOSEVELT TO BUILD THE PANAMA CANAL.

THEY ARE MAJOR, MAJOR LABOR FORCE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WESTERN WORLD AS WE KNOW IT, AND IN THE UNITED STATES, THEY HAVE NEVER PROPERLY BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED FOR THEIR ROLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AGRICULTURE.

IT WAS IN THAT COLLABORATION WITH THE MULE PACKERS THAT I REALIZED THERE WAS POTENTIAL TO WALK THE ENTIRE LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCT AS A COMMEMORATIVE ACTION FOR THE CENTENNIAL OF THE OPENING OF THE AQUEDUCT.

I WANTED TO DRAW THE LINE FOR PEOPLE BETWEEN THE FORCE -- THE SOURCE OF OUR WATER AND THE CITY THAT BENEFITS.

TO ACTUALLY BE THAT LINE, NOT METAPHORICALLY, BUT TO LITERALLY CHOOSE 100 MULES MOVING CONTINUOUSLY FOR A MONTH AS AN ANIMATED DRAWING, AND LEARNING OURSELVES HOW TO LIVE OFF THE GRID.

WALKING THE AQUEDUCT IS ABOUT THE MYSTERY OF THE MULE, THE FIRST HYBRID ANIMAL EVER PRODUCED ON THE PLANET, WE CREATED THE MULE TO DO OUR WORK, THE FIRST SLAVE, 2000 YEARS AGO.

IT IS THE FIRST INVENTION TO SHAPE THE WORLD IN OUR DREAM OF IT.

SO THE ROUTE THAT WE WALL IS BOOK ENDED BY TWO SYMBOLIC PIECES OF ENGINEERING.

THE INTAKE OF THE L.A.

AQUEDUCT WHICH IS JUST NORTH OF THIS RANCH AND INDEPENDENCE, AND THE CASCADES, WHEN THE WATER THAT HAS BEEN IMPORTED IS FIRST RELEASED INTO THE CITY.

SO THESE SYMBOLIC MODES ARE THE BEGINNING AND ENDING OF THE ROUTE.

ALONG THAT JOURNEY, THERE ARE THREE DISTINCT SECTIONS.

THE FIRST SECTION IS RIGHT IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE EASTERN SIERRA'S WHERE THE WATER COMES DOWN.

IT IS MOSTLY OPENED NOW.

TO MOVE 100 MULES FOR 240 MILES INVOLVES AN INCREDIBLY ORGANIZED MOVABLE URBAN FORM.

WE HAVE FIVE PORTABLE CORRALS THAT ARE SET UP AND BROKEN DOWN EVERY DAY, PACKED INTO TWO TRUCKS.

WE HAVE A KITCHEN TRUCK WITH A CREW OF THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE THAT WOULD MAKE TWO MEALS A DAY, BREAKFAST AND DINNER.

WE WOULD CARRY SANDWICHES WITH US ON THE ROAD.

WE DIDN'T STOP FOR LUNCH.

SO TO MOVE THE MULES WERE ACQUIRED THAT THE MULES BE SPLIT UP INTO GROUPS OF 10, CALLED STRINGS.

EACH STRING OF 10 MULES HAS A WRANGLER THAT IS DEDICATED TO IT.

SO FOR 100 MULES, THERE WERE 10 WRANGLERS, WITH THREE EXTRA WRANGLERS.

>> TAKING THE SAFE ROUTE, BREAKING DOWN THE STRINGS, MAKING IT SIMPLE.

WE DON'T WANT TO GET WET TODAY.

WE'RE JUST GOING TO TAKE THE MULES ACROSS.

WE HAD A REWARD OR TRUCK THAT HAD TOILETS AND SHOWERS BUT WHEN WE ARE ON THE ROAD WE HAD A VET AND A MULE CHIROPRACTOR THAT WORKED ON THE MULES EVERY DAY, WHEN CALLED WATER FURTHER MULES.

IT WAS A CONSIDERABLE LOGISTIC EXERCISE.

-- HAULED WATER FOR THE MULES.

>> 100 MULES WALKING THE LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCT COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF EIGHT MILE RANCH.

THEY WERE ABLE TO ASSEMBLE A WORLD-CLASS TEAM OF WRANGLERS WHO CAME TO PARTICIPATE ON THE PROJECT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THEM.

I CANNOT EVEN IMAGINE THE LOGISTICS OF IT WITHOUT THEIR HELP.

>> LOS ANGELES IS AN INEVITABLE CITY.

THE CLIMATE IS PERFECT.

WE LIVE ON THIS VAST LANE NEXT TO THE OCEAN.

WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST WEATHER IN THE WORLD.

AROUND THE TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY, THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS MIGRATION INTO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

PEOPLE CAME HERE FOR THE GOOD AIR.

AND THE POPULATION EXPANDED.

TO MEET THOSE POPULATION DEMANDS, LOS ANGELES STARTED LOOKING FOR PLACES TO IMPORT WATER INTO THE CITY.

AND SO MR.

MULHOLLAND AND THE THEN MAYOR TRAVELED TO THE OWENS VALLEY TO LOOK FOR WATER SUPPLIES TO BRING TO LOS ANGELES.

THEY SECURED WATER RIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE EASTERN SIERRA AND THEN SLOWLY WENT TO THE VOTERS OF THE CITY TO TRY TO FIND THE FUNDING TO BUILD WHAT THEN BECAME THE LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCT, WHICH WAS OPENED IN 1913.

>> WE DEVELOPED A FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE OF WHAT SOME OF THE EARLY EXPIRATIONS OF THE WEST MIGHT HAVE BEEN LIKE AND PEOPLE LIKE POWELL WERE COMMISSIONED BY THE U.S.

GOVERNMENT TO EXPLORE THE ENTIRE WEST, AND CAME UP WITH INCREDIBLE MAPS THAT ARE AS VALID TODAY AS THEY WERE THEN, ABOUT HOW THE WEST COULD BE DIVIDED IF WE DIDN'T MAKE AN L.A.

AQUEDUCT OR THE HOOVER DAM.

WHERE WOULD CIVILIZATION BE?

>> CAN YOU SEE ME HERE?

>> I SAW YOU A MINUTE AGO, NOW I AM IN A LOW SPOT.

>> IT HAS MORE DIRT ON TOP OF IT.

>> THEY SHOULD BE RIGHT THERE MOMENTARILY, IF THEY ARE NOT THERE ALREADY.

>> WE ARE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES OUT.

>> OK.

>> THERE IS A CHP.

THERE ARE TWO OF THEM.

>> DID YOU COPY THAT?

>> WE ARE GOING TO KICK IT UP A NOTCH.

>> I THINK ONE NOTCH WOULD BE PERFECT.

>> I THINK OUR LOGISTICS TEAM GETS MAJOR KUDOS ON THE TIME TRAVEL ESTIMATION FOR TODAY.

>> THANK YOU.

I WILL SAY IF IT WAS NOT FOR JAIME'S TECHNICAL SKILLS, WE STILL WOULD NOT HAVE THE DESTINATION.

>> WAY TO GO.

>> WE ARE LIVING IN A TIME WHERE THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE MAKE BY LIVING IN A CITY LIKE LOS ANGELES.

WE ASSUME THERE WILL BE ENOUGH WATER SOMEHOW.

WE ASSUME THERE WILL BE ENOUGH FOOD SOMEHOW.

WE ASSUME THERE WILL BE ENOUGH POWER SOMEHOW.

AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO FEEL, IS THAT A REASONABLE ASSUMPTION TO MAKE?

I'M NOT SATISFIED WITH JUST MAKING THE JOURNEY.

I'M MORE CONCERNED WITH THE ASPECT THAT ADDRESSES HOW WE LIVE IN OUR WATERSHED, ON THE SAME SCALE THAT SOCIETY HAS THE CAPACITY TO DESTROY.

>> I HAVE FLOWN OVER THE OWENS VALLEY MYSELF A FEW TIMES IN MY FLIGHTS OVER THAT PART OF LOS ANGELES AND BEYOND.

SO I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE GENERAL LANDSCAPE, BUT I WAS SO FASCINATED TO SEE WHAT LAUREN WAS DOING THERE AND HOW SHE HAD MADE AN INVESTMENT IN THINKING ABOUT HER PROJECT AND HER ACTIONS OVER THE LAST YEARS.

>> WE WILL JUST FOLLOW THE ROAD.

IT SHOULD BE OFF TO THE RIGHT.

I'M NOT GOING TO CLIMB MUCH HIGHER THAN THIS.

I'M ALMOST SURE I SEE ALL THE DUST.

>> 100 OF THEM ALL LABELED WITH THE 100 BLANKETS, A FANTASTIC SITE.

>> A LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL.

>> WE HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THE LINE OF THE MULES WITH SHADOWS FROM THE AIR.

IT WAS VERY BEAUTIFUL.

>> PRETTY CLOSE TO THE HIGHWAY.

>> SO LAUREN AS AN ARTIST I THINK REALLY UNDERSTANDS HOW TO MAKE THE IMAGE SOMETHING THAT DRAWS THE LINE, DRAWS ATTENTION OR FOCUS FOR A PROJECT WHICH IS REALLY VERY MULTIFACETED, VERY COMPLEX, VERY EMBEDDED IN THE COMMUNITY, VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT LARGE ISSUES OF WATER, TIME, AND LOS ANGELES AND THE VALLEY.

I THINK WHAT WAS NICE WAS THIS LINE SHE DREW, AND IMAGE SHE MADE AS A WAY TO GET US INTO THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUE.

WHAT AN ARTIST DOES IS TAKE SOMETHING LIKE THE IDEA OF THE WESTERN AND RECONSIDERS IT ENTIRELY, TAKES A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE TOWARD IT.

IT IS A WESTERN.

IT IS A JOURNEY.

THE ROADS WILL BE TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS FILMED AND DOCUMENTED , THERE IS A TRADITION OF ART THAT HAS DEVELOPED IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES THAT IS TO MAKE ART THAT ISN'T A PICTURE OF NATURE, AS MIGHT BE A 19TH-CENTURY ROMANTIC SENSE OF HOW TO BRING NATURE INTO THE WORLD OF ART, BUT RATHER CHANNELS NATURE, SPACE, INTO EXPERIENCE.

SHE IS WORKING IN A TRADITION OF ARTISTS IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES THAT CAUSES YOU TO THINK DIFFERENTLY, AS I THINK IT COST SETTLERS TO THINK DIFFERENTLY.

SHE IS NEITHER CELEBRATING NOR REALLY DENIGRATING THE ANNIVERSARY.

WHAT SHE IS DOING IS CREATING AWARENESS.

I THINK THAT IS WHAT IS VERY EXCITING ABOUT HER WORK, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MAKING IMAGES FOR A GALLERY OR ANYTHING ELSE, BUT IT'S ABOUT ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY, THINKING ABOUT OUR WORLD, AND THINKING ABOUT MAKING OUR WORLD BETTER BY BOTH ACTION AND CREATING AN INSIGHT THROUGH AN IMAGE.

>> FOR GREAT CITIES TO EXIST, YOU NEED WATER.

ROME IMPORT CLOSE TO 90% OF ITS WATER.

NEW YORK CITY IMPORTS 100% OF ITS WATER FROM HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY TO BE THERE DRINKING WATER.

SAN FRANCISO IMPORTS 99% OF ITS WATER IN ORDER FOR THAT GREAT CITY TO SURVIVE.

SO IT IS INEVITABLE, LIKE EVERY OTHER GREAT CITY, THAT WE WOULD IMPORT WATER INTO LOS ANGELES.

NEXT THE SECOND SECTION GOES TO MOHAVE.

THAT SECTION OF ROAD PROVE QUITE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEAL WITH ENDURANCE.

IT WAS VERY HOT, VERY LONG DAYS.

REALLY ADVENTURESOME.

WE WERE UP IN THE MOUNTAINS, WHERE THE BIG SIPHONS ARE, WHERE THE WATER COMES ALL THE WAY DOWN AND JUTS ALL THE WAY UP.

♪ >> THE ONE THING I FEEL IS A TREMENDOUS LOSS, AND LOS ANGELES NEEDS TO IT KNOWLEDGE, IS OUR INDEBTEDNESS TO PLACES SUCH AS OWENS VALLEY, WHERE WE IMPORT OUR WATER INTO THE CITY.

THOSE ARE THE SOURCES OF WHERE OUR WATER COMES FROM, AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT.

AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE THIS DEBT, AND THAT DEBT CAN BE EXPRESSED THROUGH ACTING RESPONSIBLY IN HOW WE USE WATER HERE IN LOS ANGELES AND HOW WE CAPTURE THAT WATER FROM THE VARIOUS SOURCES.

WE HAVE TO DO IT RESPONSIBLY.

I THINK THAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT LAUREN IS CONVEYING, IS THAT WE HAVE THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE PLACES HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY.

WE ARE CONNECTED.

AND SHE CONNECTED OWENS VALLEY WITH LOS ANGELES IN THIS INCREDIBLY CREATIVE WAY OF USING THE VERY MUSCLE, THE MEANS OF BUILDING THAT AQUEDUCT IN THE FIRST PLACE, AS THE MEANS OF TELLING THE STORY 100 YEARS LATER.

>> THE ONE THING THAT MIGHT BE WORTH LOOKING AT IS -- >> WE BETTER LOOK AT THAT.

>> THE THIRD SECTION THROUGH THE MOJAVE DESERT STRAIGHT TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, THAT WAS SO SURREAL.

WE WENT TO THE TERRITORY OF WHAT I CALL THE GIANT FOREST OF WIND INSTRUMENTS.

CAMPED OUT AT NIGHT WITH THE BUZZ OF HIGH TENSION CABLES OVERHEAD, ENERGY BEING DELIVERED FROM THE DESERT SURROUNDING US.

THAT WHOLE STRETCH TOOK ABOUT A WEEK OF WALKING.

IT IS REALLY RICH IN TERMS OF THE TERRITORY OF EXPLORATION OF SOLAR AND WIND ENERGY.

THE LAST CENTURY HAS LARGELY BEEN POWERED BY WATER FROM THE ROCKIES.

THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ENERGY PART OF THE WATER AND POWER EQUATION.

[INDISCERNIBLE] >> THIS WON'T BE A PROBLEM.

WE MAY NEED A LITTLE HELP FOR SOME OF THE YOUNGER ONES.

>> WE WERE IN THE LOBBY AND WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY -- WE WERE IN MOJAVE.

HOW DO WE MOVE GOODS AROUND THE WORLD?

THE MULES FOR A REALLY LONG TIME AND ARE GOODS AROUND THE UNITED STATES.

THE UNIT OF TRADE HAS SHIFTED IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY TO CARGO CONTAINER.

BUT TO SEE THE RURAL AND THE TRAINS, THE CARGO CONTAINERS, IS A REALLY UNIQUE SENSE.

>> TRAINS COMING.

>> AND FINALLY, THE FOURTH SECTION WAS THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY.

WE ACTUALLY MADE IT BY NOVEMBER 5.

THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER WAS DOING A REENACTMENT OF THE EVENT THAT HAPPENED 100 YEARS AGO WHEN MULHOLLAND MADE HIS FAMOUS SPEECH, THERE IT IS, TAKE IT, AND WATER WAS DELIVERED TO THE THRONGS OF PEOPLE AND TO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY.

♪ >> SO THE LOGISTICS OF THIS METABOLIC SCULPTURE, THE EXPERIENCE WE ALL HAD A MOVING THROUGH SPACE TOGETHER, WAS THE MOST PERFECT SOCIAL EXPERIMENT I'VE EVER PARTICIPATED IN.

WE ALL FELT THE MEANING BEHIND WHAT WE WERE DOING, SO THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE WITH DIRECT ACTION, THAT PRIVATE CITIZENS ARE SO UNIQUELY CAPABLE OF DOING, BUT WHEN YOU DO IT COLLECTIVELY, IT BUILDS A VERY SPECIAL ENERGY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE OF IN MY LIFE.

THAT IMAGE OF THE MULES WALKING THE SKYLINE OF LOS ANGELES WITH THE CITY IN THE BACKGROUND WAS THE IMAGE THAT GALVANIZED FOR ME AS AN ARTIST.

THAT WAS THE IMAGE I WANTED TO SEE.

THAT WAS THE IMAGE THAT WAS IN MY MINDS EYE.

BECAUSE THE MULE AND THE COURSE WERE LINKED TO A DIFFERENT MOMENT IN HISTORY THAN THE SKYSCRAPERS THAT YOU SEE THROUGH THAT WHOLE.

I REMEMBER SAYING LOOK, IF WE ONLY GET ONE IMAGE FROM THE WHOLE TRIP, IT'S THAT IMAGE.

THERE ARE A THE A RETICLE PROBLEMS THAT ARE BIGGER THAN THINGS THAT -- YOU RETICLE PROBLEMS THAT ARE BIGGER THAN THINGS I CAN DO.

I CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT THE NEXT HUNDRED YEARS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE, BUT I CAN USE THAT ROUND NUMBER OF 100 TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND AND SAY I, AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, AS AN ARTIST THOMAS NEED TO CREATE A PARADIGM SHIFT -- AS AN ARTIST, NEED TO CREATE A PARADIGM SHIFT.

IT'S ABOUT ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THERE HAS BEEN A VERY HIGH PRICE TAG PAID FOR THE LIFESTYLE THAT WE ENJOY TODAY, AND IT'S NOT SIMPLY ABOUT THE WATER WE HAVE, IT'S THE POWER WE USE.

BECAUSE MOST OF ALL, POWER COMES FROM WATER.

IT'S ALL ABOUT WATER AND GRAVITY.

I DON'T BELIEVE TODAY WE CAN LOOK AT A TIME WHERE NOT GOING TO NEED WATER FROM THE SIERRAS, BUT AS A SOCIETY, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO A LOT BETTER AT MANAGING THAT RESOURCE AND UTILIZING IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.

SO TO END A 100 MULE WALL, HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY DO SOMETHING THAT CATHARTIC AND UNBURDEN THEM OF THEIR LOAD, THEIR BRIDAL, THEIR REINS, THEIR BIT, THEIR PATHS, AND JUST LET THEM BE.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE WALK, I THINK ABOUT STAMPEDING HERDS OF BUFFALO, AND WHAT THAT MUST FEEL LIKE.

CAN YOU IMAGINE, TO EVEN HAVE 100 OF THOSE AND THEIR PURE, UNBRIDLED ENERGY.

THAT, TO ME, IS THE WESTERN.

WHY I LIVE IN LOS ANGELES, WHILE WE MAKE ART, IN TERMS OF THE WORLD CULTURE, WE ARE STILL CAPABLE OF THINKING OF OURSELVES AS MAVERICKS RUNNING WILD AND FREE.

THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE DECIDE HOW TO CONTROL THAT KIND OF COMBUSTED LIFE FORCE?