In 1992, the artist collective Haha built a hydroponic garden in a storefront on the north side of Chicago as part of the landmark public art exhibition "Culture in Action." Both the garden and the group of twenty to thirty people who volunteered to maintain it became known as Flood.
Envisioned in part as a response to the AIDS crisis, the garden produced vegetables and therapeutic herbs for people living with HIV. For several years, Flood also provided bi-weekly meals for the broader Rogers Park community, as well as educational activities, meeting space, and public events. Information sessions on alternative therapies, horticulture, nutrition, and HIV/AIDS services in Chicago were another important element of Flood’s work. Eroding distinctions between artists, participants, and audiences, Flood continued far beyond the timeframe of "Culture in Action," becoming an important touchstone in the development of what is now called social practice art. — the VISUAL AIDS website
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