Hofstra University Museum of Art: Environmental Impact by Hofstra University

Cover Image: Alejandro Durán (Mexican, born 1974), Algas (Algae) from the Washed Up series, 2013, photograph, 40 x 52 in. Courtesy of the artist ©2019 Alejandro Durán ©2019 Hofstra University Museum of Art All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the Hofstra University Museum of Art.

September 3-December 13, 2019 Emily Lowe Gallery

Funding has been provided by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

Acknowledgements Across centuries and cultures, nature has inspired artists to depict the beauty, forms, and harmonies of the natural world. Over the last 100+ years, the adverse imprint on nature caused by population growth and human action has changed the relationship between artist and nature — from artist as observer to artist as activist. In the several years that this exhibition has been in development, evidence of the negative effects of human interaction with the environment has been mounting. From microplastics found inside deep-ocean fish off the coast of California1, to studies showing the threat of fracking to air, water, climate, and human health2, to the destruction of homelands of animals and people caused by deforestation3, and the surging concerns about climate change by most Americans4, artists are using their visual powers to inspire public response to these growing concerns. Fusing art and advocacy, the artists in this exhibition play a critical role in helping us see the dangerous effect we have had on our world. Their works, ranging from aerial photographic images to abstract collages of human-made detritus, present a visual glimpse and story of the magnitude of issues involved in protecting our planet. The environmental crises is escalating; we hope the works in this exhibition inspire each of us to confront the complex challenges and take action toward solutions for the future of us all. The Museum is indebted to the following artists and galleries for making this exhibition possible: Daniel Beltrá and Catherine Edelman Gallery, Chicago Diane Burko Edward Burtynsky and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York Janet Culbertson Alejandro Durán Steve McPherson and Victori + Mo, New York Alexis Rockman and Sperone Westwater, New York Barbara Roux Steve Rowell

Nancy Richner

Former Director Hofstra University Museum of Art https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-44117-2 https://www.ehn.org/fracking-harms-health-new-report--2638917368.html 3 https://www.pachamama.org/effects-of-deforestation 4 https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/01/climate-change-awareness-polls-show-rising-concern-for-global-warming/ 1 2

Curator’s Statement Environmental Impact presents the work of nine artists who, through a variety of approaches and artistic media, address the consequences of human interaction with nature. Frequently the artist becomes an activist – creating works of art meant to bring awareness to environmental concerns and sway public opinion. These works of art visually communicate the reality of our changing world.

Thomas Cole, The Course of Empire: The Savage State, 1833-1836, oil on canvas, 39 ¼ x 63 ¼ in., New York Historical Society, gift of New-York Gallery of the Fine Arts, 1858.1

Thomas Cole, The Course of Empire: Desolation, 1836, oil on canvas, 39 ¼ x 63 ¼ in., New York Historical Society, gift of New-York Gallery of the Fine Arts, 1858.5

For centuries, artists have been inspired by nature, capturing the pristine beauty of an untamed wilderness and recording its splendor. In the United States, as urban development and the population moved westward, 19th century American artists presented their works of art to a curious public. Painter Thomas Cole (1801-1848) advocated for the protection of this “New World Eden” from industrial encroachment where railroads sliced through the land and forests were cut down for construction materials and agriculture. Cole’s five paintings series, The Course of Empire (18331836), depicted the lifecycle of an unnamed civilization from forest origins and rural innocence to destruction and disappearance. A few decades later, Thomas Moran’s (1837-1926) paintings and drawings of the American West were vital to the establishment of Yellowstone National Park in 1872 – the first designated national park in the world. Moran’s works of art were used to influence politicians, presenting them with visual images of what could be lost. During the late 19th century, the desire to preserve the natural environment served as the impetus for the creation of urban green spaces such as Central Park in New York City and the National Park system in the United States. After becoming president in 1901, Theodore Roosevelt used his authority to protect wildlife and public lands by creating the United States Forest Service. The 1906 American Antiquities Act established 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, four national game preserves, five national parks, and 18 national monuments. During this period of territorial expansion and industrial development, Roosevelt helped craft a precedent by conserving the nation’s natural and cultural resources, hoping to insure their sustainability. President Woodrow Wilson created the National Park Service on

August 25, 1916. These actions put forward the concept of preserving and protecting the natural environment for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations. More than a century later, it appears as if this measured approach to land conservation has been forgotten. Human intrusion into the natural world has caused some of the most pressing environmental concerns. Disregard for the effects of industry, agriculture, land development, and a “throw away” consumer culture has resulted in the pollution of the air, land, and oceans. The scale of the issues, ranging from smaller, local incidents to pervasive, worldwide problems, is seen through works in the exhibition. The artists in Environmental Impact use their unique talents and skills to alert the public about specific events and their implications for the natural environment. Daniel Beltrá’s photographs of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill illustrate the scope of the disaster through abstract images of the Gulf of Mexico’s surface and wildlife enveloped in oil. Steve Rowell’s short film follows the path of transporting fossil fuels and their byproducts from their source in Canada, across the United States, to their final destination in California, cutting a swath through the country. On a local level, Barbara Roux documents the consequences of clearing trees and brush on the North Shore of Long Island. Although a small action, the results ripple outward to affect a larger area. The scars left by global industrialization can be seen on the landscape in Edward Burtynsky’s photographs. The photographs’ aerial perspective emphasizes the abstract qualities of the images, almost obscuring the reality on the ground. In contrast, in Gowanus, painter Alexis Rockman depicts the harshest representation of the polluted Brooklyn canal, highlighting and giving prominence to the contamination. Janet Culbertson was struck by how pervasive consumerism had become – even when driving through the landscape, we are confronted with billboards encouraging us to buy more. In our consumer culture, evidenced by overconsumption and excessive production, goods are discarded and all types of waste are prevalent. Much of that

Thomas Moran, The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, 1893-1901, oil on canvas, 96 ½ x 168 3/8 in., Smithsonian American Art Museum, gift of George D. Pratt, 1928.7.1

waste has ended up in the oceans, which cover three-quarters of the planet. Alejandro Durán and Steve McPherson use the plastics and debris that has washed up on the beaches in their respective parts of the world, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Both artists collect the flotsam, categorize it by type and color, and reassemble the pieces into works of art. Durán creates site-specific installations, which he then photographs, while McPherson uses the debris itself to create abstract mixed media panels. Through her paintings, Diane Burko draws attention to climate change, ocean acidification, and the fate of coral reefs and atolls. Her work is a synthesis of personal experiences and scientific data. The interconnected ecosystems of the planet have been altered by human intrusion and we now live in a damaged world. An array of human activities, such as industrial development, international trade, and depletion of natural resources, has affected the delicate balance. Through their art, these artists seek to create awareness of urgent environmental issues and the critical need for intervention. They believe, and hope, that we can achieve change through our actions.

Karen T. Albert

Acting Director and Chief Curator

Daniel Beltrá

(Spanish, born 1964) Daniel Beltrá’s images reflect the beauty of nature and the fragility of the planet’s ecosystems. His photographs capture the results of human and industrial interactions with nature, particularly when they are at odds. The aerial perspective reveals the scale of the transformed environment, and allows Beltrá to produce images from less accessible locations. The images from his SPILL series show the consequences of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The immense scale of the human-made disaster is seen in Spill #8 as the oil floats along the surface of a vast area of the ocean. The aesthetic qualities of the photograph, such as the composition and color, appear as a beautiful abstract pattern before the viewer comprehends the reality of the image. On a more intimate scale, Spill #20 reveals the impact of the oil spill on the local wildlife, specifically the brown pelicans. These birds were photographed before being cared for by the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Fort Jackson, Louisiana. With images like these, Beltrá hopes to instill a sincere appreciation for nature and a greater understanding of the delicate balance of the earth’s ecosystems. Artist’s website: https://danielbeltra.photoshelter.com/index

Diane Burko

(American, born 1945) Throughout her career, Diane Burko has been driven to further the conversation related to climate change. She integrates her personal experience from on-site investigations with scientific data and interactions with experts. While some of her past works focused on glaciers and melting ice, she recently shifted her work to investigating the effects of climate change on oceans and coral reefs. Coral reefs and atolls are the most diverse of all marine ecosystems containing plants, animals, and minerals. The health of coral reef systems is susceptible to the increase in global temperature, the rise in sea level, and ocean acidification. Burko’s paintings serve as warning signs reminding people of the underlying need to protect nature. Buck Island Reef National Monument and Midway Atoll were inspired by Burko’s recent trips to the Pacific where she explored coral reefs and their potential demise. The paintings reveal a layering of images, usually maritime maps and charts, which seem to fade in and out of focus. While working on the paintings, the canvas is often laid flat so that Burko can pour paint of varying viscosity directly on the canvas, creating an overlay of colors, tints, and textures. The surfaces of the paintings are heavily worked as Burko paints, sands, removes areas, and reapplies paint. Artist’s website: https://www.dianeburko.com/

Edward Burtynsky

(Canadian, born 1955) Edward Burtynsky exposes the global scale of the consequences of human intrusion on the planet. The expansive aerial views of his photographs show how the world has been altered by industry. Viewed from a distance, the images can appear as beautiful vistas but upon closer inspection, the disfigurement of the landscape by mines, quarries, farming, and pipelines is apparent. Burtynsky intends not only to bring awareness to the compromised environment but also implores the viewer to action. Marine Aquaculture #3, Luoyuan Bay, Fujian Province, China depicts a fish farm off the coast of China. Aquaculture is the farming of fish in open bodies of water where fish are raised in artificial enclosures. These built networks of interconnected paths and platforms include living quarters for the farming families. In recent years, China, the world’s largest producer and consumer of fish, has experienced a decline in production due to overfishing, pollution, and poor practices. Oil theft, or “bunkering,” as seen in Oil Bunkering #1, Niger Delta, Nigeria, is common in the Niger Delta region and occurs elsewhere around the planet. An oil pipeline is “tapped” and the crude oil is syphoned and transported to be sold internationally or refined locally. This vandalism increases the probability of leaks, spills, and other accidents, leading to contaminated soil and groundwater, destruction of natural habitats, and threats to public health. Artist’s website: https://www.edwardburtynsky.com/

Edward Burtynsky (Canadian, born 1955) Marine Aquaculture #3, Luoyuan Bay, Fujian Province, China, 2010 Chromogenic color print, printed 2013, 39 x 52 in. Courtesy of the artist and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York photo(s) ©Edward Burtynsky, courtesy Howard Greenberg and Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery, New York / Nicholas Metivier Gallery, Toronto

Edward Burtynsky (Canadian, born 1955) Oil Bunkering #1, Niger Delta, Nigeria, 2016 Chromogenic color print, 39 x 52 in. Courtesy of the artist and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York photo(s) ©Edward Burtynsky, courtesy Howard Greenberg and Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery, New York / Nicholas Metivier Gallery, Toronto

Janet Culbertson

(American, born 1932) Janet Culbertson, an artist who lives and works on the eastern end of Long Island, is an acknowledged environmentalist. Reflecting her interests, her works of art reveal an appreciation for the natural beauty of the world while acknowledging that it is at risk. Culbertson uses the iconic American billboard to announce the pending destruction of the natural environment. Billboards, ubiquitous along American’s highways, visually obstruct our view of the landscape. They advertise and encourage us to consume and purchase more goods without regard for the impact of this rampant consumerism on the environment. In the paintings HELP and BUY the billboards stand above an apocalyptic landscape as if we’ve already gone too far and the damage is done. Artist’s website: https://www.janetculbertson.com/

Alejandro Durán

(Mexican, born 1974) Alejandro Durán’s photographs draw you in with their touch of humor or whimsy, but once you are engaged with the photograph, the reality of the image becomes apparent. In 2010, Durán became aware of the trash problem at Sian Ka’an, a federally protected reserve and UNESCO World Heritage site on the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula. Although it is an undeveloped area, trash from around the globe washes up on its beaches. The realization that even protected lands are not safe from the world’s waste prompted Durán to create his Washed Up series. Durán collects and sorts the debris found along the beaches. He arranges the trash in ways that parody natural growth, blurring the line between nature and what is human-made, and then photographs the installation. In Algas (Algae) the green plastic bottles seem to cling to each other and form a growth around the boulders similar to the way algae would flourish among the wet rocks. In Brotes (Shoots) toothbrushes seem to be sprouting from the ground, but the artist gathered the objects and set up the shot. It is the Durán’s intention to educate and raise awareness about the environmental changes occurring in every corner of the planet, even supposedly protected areas, with hope of promoting action and change. Artist’s website: www.alejandroduran.com

Steve McPherson (British, born 1972)

Multidisciplinary artist Steve McPherson works in a range of mediums including installations, sculpture, painting, drawing, and collage. His interest lies in how information is organized and presented; his works often contain maps and scientific diagrams. Plastic objects, discarded and washed ashore, have been his chief raw material since 2007. His assemblage works, such as Matter No. 1, are created from the debris he has collected on the northern coasts of the United Kingdom. McPherson gathers the damaged and discolored plastic parts and categorizes them by type and color. The composition of the panel, with an almost monochromatic abstract pattern, plays with the negative and positive space created by the plastic pieces. Upon closer inspection, some of the fragments become recognizable: remnants of a comb, a spoon, and a button can be seen. McPherson’s work draws attention to one of the most critical environmental issues – the amount of non-biodegradable plastics filling the world’s oceans and disrupting its ecosystem. His actions of collecting and collating the found flotsam and jetsam from the sea are akin to an archaeologist discovering and documenting a new site. Artist’s website: https://www.stevemcpherson.co.uk/

Alexis Rockman

(American, born 1962) Alexis Rockman presents a gloomy vision of the interaction and conflict between civilization and nature. He focuses on what has been damaged as a result of urban development, tending towards the belief that our world has suffered irrevocable damage and cannot be repaired. His paintings blend the real and the imagined, creating a surreal or dreamlike world. Gowanus is from a series of works Rockman titled Rubicon, alluding to the “point of no return.” The painting draws attention to the local site that is notorious for its toxicity. Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal was once a thriving wetland ecosystem but is now described as one of the nation’s most contaminated bodies of water and has been designated a Superfund site (a location identified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for cleanup because it poses a risk to human health and/or the environment). Rockman was motivated to create the painting after reading a 2013 news report about the death of a dolphin that swam into the polluted waterway. The animals depicted in the painting adapt and endure as they struggle to survive in the canal’s toxic conditions. The imaginary creature at the bottom center is composed of animals that used to live in the canal. The painting’s densely packed composition intensifies the impact of the congested urban environment. The tension is also deepened by Rockman’s use of contrasts: precisely detailed animals and murky water, bright neon colors and dark shadows, and the background of gleaming skyscrapers versus the dilapidated canal neighborhood of the foreground. Artist’s website: http://alexisrockman.net/

Barbara Roux

(American, born 1946) Multimedia artist Barbara Roux expresses her concern for the natural environment through her drawing, photography, poetry, and sculpture. Living and working on Long Island, Roux works to document the natural habitats of her local environment. Seemingly small events can make a difference and warn of global implications. Using her daily interaction with the organic environment to inform her artistic works, Roux hopes to inspire an interest in the mysteries inherent in wild places and a desire to protect natural habitats. The installation A Place of Secret Value details the activity on the property adjacent to her home. The effect of clearing a relatively small area of tidal wetland rippled outward to produce erosion, affecting local flora and fauna. In her sculptural works, Roux often uses found natural objects that capture her imagination, which are then manipulated and reconfigured into works of art. When the limb of an old native sycamore tree came down during a storm, Roux made use of a section of the tree to create Cabled Vision. In an earlier attempt to save the tree, a heavy cable had been attached to hold the limb upright. The sycamore tree, with a multicolored bark resembling camouflage, fought for survival but was lost. These native trees have become rare as towns and homeowners feel that they grow too large, ruin neighborhood sidewalks and do not provide privacy from the street. Artist’s website: http://www.barbararoux.com/

A Place of Secret Value On the eastern edge of a fragmented forest dotted with houses the land narrowed to a small oval shaped promontory that met a tidal marsh. Trees that grew on it were scattered randomly across the slope and a hill rose in the middle. These plants were not majestic like the red oaks, birches or tulip trees that stood in the remnant woods nearby or exotic like the plantings that framed the homes within the woods. Shadbush growing at the base of the promontory blossomed with pale cream flowers before leaves opened in the forest. The blooms reflected like clouds across the new moon high tide waters in spring. Deer and red fox passing across the promontory napped there under native sassafras, maple or juniper away from the north wind. In summer, male red-winged blackbirds moved within the inner branches of the trees and rose up in a stream dissolving over the farther marsh. One pink swamp rose always bloomed from a shrub on the eastern shore. Foliage sparkled like jewels in autumn, casting stained glass shadows into the flooded cove. Then bees converged on the brush like white flowers of the groundsel bush whose feet stood in the salt water. Smilax grew in twisting rolls of barbed fencing along the slopes creating a green net around the place all year. A path of emerald moss spread to the top of the hill from the west to one tall oak. On sunny mornings a red-tailed hawk perched there on a high limb and scanned the land. Like moonlight, every animal that touched the place seemed to be in transit. If the promontory was lifted from the earth its impression would be a deer’s footprint. The cleft of the hoof facing the salt meadow cushioned a huge grey boulder pushed there during an ice age. One spring evening a raccoon rambling along the moss trail stopped to sniff a young buck’s discarded antler. Two of its points were badly chipped. By the next autumn chain sawing began nearby in the forest. Trees were felled whose canopies left huge holes in the woods. Men worked into the dark cutting and chipping. In a dense fog, teams reached the promontory fanning out across the hill with saws. Swinging left and right they cut down small trees. Men dragged saplings away, their crowns scraping along the ground. They dug and carried out armfuls of bushes. One man climbed and felled the oak tree. Others sliced the trunk in slabs and rolled them down to the water’s edge. A hawk flew from the woods and buzzed them. The debris of barges and ships washed in by storms from the sea over decades they picked up and threw on top of the giant boulder. The smell of fresh cut wood wafted in the damp air. In the early winter of the next year it snowed. A storm high tide washed over the slabs of the oak tree that were left behind. As snow melted in the sun, yellow discs showed above the white ground marking where trees had stood. A man returned in spring rolling a big machine across the naked land and ground down these stumps. The rim of the promontory eroded to black soil. The sun burned the moss path brown. Animals never came to the place again. But the people who bought a house in the woods nearby were pleased with their water view. Barbara Roux 2018

Steve Rowell

(American, born 1969) Multidisciplinary artist Steve Rowell explores themes of perception, technology, and culture as they relate to the landscape. He produces research-based works that study the relationships between the built environment and the natural world through the use of photography, moving images, sound, and installation. His work has addressed themes such as dark money, invisible infrastructure and networks, speculative futures, geologic time, and cyberwarfare. Mostly through aerial footage, Midstream at Twilight follows the movement of petroleum products through a network of pipelines and overland transport from the Alberta Tar Sands located in Canada, through the middle of the United States and to the ports of Southern California. Petroleum coke, commonly known as petcoke, a by-product of oil sands processing, is moved from Chicago, through sometimes unspecified locations, to California and eventually sold as an industrial fuel to countries with less stringent environmental laws, such as China. Rowell links climate change not only to fossil fuel usage, but also to the corporate growth of the global oil trade industry, where Koch Industries is the largest dealer of petcoke in the United States. In the petroleum industry, “midstream” refers to the transportation, storage, and wholesale marketing of crude or refined petroleum products. The “Twilight” of the title refers to a period or state of obscurity or gradual decline – Rowell believes, and hopes, that the fossil fuel industry is in decline. Artist’s website: http://www.steverowell.com/

Exhibition Checklist Daniel Beltrá (Spanish, born 1964)

Diane Burko (American, born 1945)

Edward Burtynsky (Canadian, born 1955)

Spill #8 from the SPILL series, 2010 Digital chromogenic dye print 40 x 60 in. Courtesy of the artist and Catherine Edelman Gallery, Chicago

Buck Island Reef National Monument, 2019 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 72 in. Courtesy of the artist

Marine Aquaculture #3, Luoyuan Bay, Fujian Province, China, 2010 Chromogenic color print, printed 2013 39 x 52 in. Courtesy of the artist and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

Spill #20 from the SPILL series, 2010 Digital chromogenic dye print 60 x 48 in. Courtesy of the artist and Catherine Edelman Gallery, Chicago

Midway Atoll, 2018 Acrylic on canvas 60 x 84 in. Courtesy of the artist

Oil Bunkering #1, Niger Delta, Nigeria, 2016 Chromogenic color print 39 x 52 in. Courtesy of the artist and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

Janet Culbertson (American, born 1932)

Steve McPherson (British, born 1972)

Barbara Roux (American, born 1946)

BUY, 2017 Oil on canvas 24 x 36 in. Courtesy of the artist

Matter No. 1, 2013 Unaltered marine plastic found objects on panel 40 x 40 x 3 in. Courtesy of the artist and Victori + Mo, New York

Cabled Vision, 2017 Sycamore branch element, steel cable, bolt, nut and washer 11 x 24 x 15 1/2 in. Courtesy of the artist A Place of Secret Value, 2018 4 digital pigment prints and text Dimensions variable Courtesy of the artist

HELP, 1999 Acrylic on rag paper 22 x 30 in. Courtesy of Peconic Green Growth, Inc.

Alejandro Durán (Mexican, born 1974) Algas (Algae) from the Washed Up series, 2013 Photograph 40 x 52 in. Courtesy of the artist

Alexis Rockman (American, born 1962) Gowanus, 2013 Oil on wood 72 x 90 in. Courtesy of the artist and Sperone Westwater, New York

Steve Rowell (American, born 1969) Midstream at Twilight, 2016 Single channel video, 20 minutes Courtesy of the artist

Brotes (Shoots) from the Washed Up series, 2014 Photograph 40 x 52 in. Courtesy of the artist

HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY STUART RABINOWITZ President Andrew M. Boas and Mark L. Claster Distinguished Professor of Law HERMAN A. BERLINER Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF ART KAREN T. ALBERT Acting Director and Chief Curator ELISA BRUNO Museum Educator ELIZABETH DYSART Director of Education and Engagement KYLIE MCGINNIS Museum Educator KRISTEN RUDY Collections Manager AMY G. SOLOMON Museum Educator CHARMISE WOODSIDE-DESIRÉ Communications Director GRADUATE ASSISTANTS Erin Doyle Courtney Magnusson Elizabeth Smith UNDERGRADUATE ASSISTANTS Hayley Combs, Sky Dellasala, Jacob Ferrandi, Jonathan Fidis, Shaina Martin, Eiryn Sheades

Resources for Additional Information: Avery, Kevin J. “Thomas Cole (1801–1848).” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000 –. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cole/hd_cole.htm (August 2009) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change https://www.ipcc.ch/ Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Ibpes). https://www.ipbes.net/ National Gallery of Art. “Thomas Moran.” Biography https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info. 1730.html (accessed 5/1/2019). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration https://www.noaa.gov/ National Park Service, United States https://www.nps.gov/index.htm NASA Global Climate Change https://climate.nasa.gov/scientific-consensus/ Rich, Nathaniel. “Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change. A Tragedy in Two Parts.” New York Times Magazine. August 1, 2018. United Nations Climate Change https://unfccc.int/

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