In 1842 the geologist and land surveyor John C
Fremont led a prestigious expedition to explore the Rocky Mountain territory.
In his travel log Fremont records an unlikely high‐altitude encounter with a bumblebee
where he imagines each of them to be the first of their species ever to brave
such geological extremes. This unlikely encounter is suggestive of America’s
unique brand of landscape nationalism that has historically attempted to
reconcile both expansionist and conservationist thought. Romantic descriptions
of Fremont’s adventures were published in the Emigrant’s Guide to California
and effectively united the interests of science and nature within the cultural
framework of national inheritance. After all, “landscapes are culture before
they are nature; constructs of the imagination projected onto wood and water and
rock.” *
The Mountain and the Bumble Bee brings together
selected works by contemporary artists and poets who confront broadly defined
notions of landscape as both cultural icon and raw material. Working in a
variety of media including photography, sculpture, painting, digital media and
poetic verse, featured artists maneuver the complex web of references
contributing to our understanding of landscape. Scenes from Hollywood westerns
abut survey photographs and miniature paintings to highlight America’s
often‐contradictory role as both steward and exploiter of the land.
Participating visual artists and poets:
Rick Barot, Patrick Bizarro, Robin Clarke, Mathew
Conboy, Todd Davis, Wesley Dunning, Heather Green, BA Harrington, Chele Isaac,
Chris McGinnis, Erika Osborne, Josh Reiman, Gwyneth Scally and Meg Shevenock
Venues:
Kipp Gallery, Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Fall 2014
Media Arts Gallery, Robert Morris University. Spring 2015
Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. Philadelphia PA. Summer/Fall 2015
SPACE Pittsburgh. Winter 2015/16
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design. Lancaster Pennsylvania. Spring 2016
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