Art Center’s Spring Exhibition focuses on the Environment
Ann Arbor, MI (April 3, 2018) — The Ann Arbor Art Center’s newest art exhibition, Written Into Rock opens Friday, April 6 as the latest curatorial project by Gina Iacobelli, a native metro-Detroiter who holds an MA in Art History from Boston University.
The exhibition opens with a lively kick-off party in the gallery on Friday, April 6 from 6-9pm at the Art Center (117 W. Liberty St.). The exhibiting artists and the curator will be in attendance. Refreshments will be provided free of charge, including beverages from O&W Inc. All ages are welcome.
Written Into Rock is an exploration of the ways in which humans have altered the natural landscape and how this activity has accelerated in the shadow of industry and capitalism. Inspired by the writings of Donna Haraway and Heather Davis, and their exploration into the Anthropocene, a new era defined by humans’ mark on the geologic record, this exhibition explores the distinctions between “nature” and “human culture” and the integration of the two.
Naturally, any discussion of humankind’s relationship to the natural environment evokes contemporary debates surrounding climate change and the resulting aesthetic modifications of the landscape. Digital consumption, which arguably distances us from a more materialistic experience of nature, is facilitated by massive infrastructure projects which strikingly alter the environment. Also considered is the way in which the culture of disposability and reliance on petrochemicals leave their mark on our land and oceans.
In face of these threats, the natural landscape still shows a remarkable resiliency, at times asserting its presence in the most surprising ways. Its pushback can sometimes be violent and indifferent to human systems and unlike man-made constructions, nature is always morphing and adapting, reminding us of its primordial autonomy. For all of humankind’s efforts to shape their environment, nature is never truly under its control.
For more information, including regular gallery hours, visit www.annarborartcenter.org. The exhibition will be on-view daily through Saturday, May 5. Admission to the Art Center galleries is always free.
Exhibiting Artists
Hannah Chalew (New Orleans, LA), Michael Garguilo (Royal Oak, MI), Phillip Hanson (Saginaw, MI), Kristina Sheufelt (Detroit, MI), Brian Spolans (Ypsilanti, MI), Jessica Tenbusch (Ypsilanti, MI), Millee Tibbs (Detroit, MI)
About the Ann Arbor Art Center
For 108 years, the Ann Arbor Art Center has been sparking creativity in people of all ages and artistic abilities. Our mission is to be a contemporary forum for the visual arts through education, exploration, and exhibition, and to expand perspectives and ignite growth in students, artists, and the community. In this work we aspire to be a gathering place that serves artists and the community in four distinct, yet related ways: Exhibition, Retail, Education, and Community Engagement.
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