Climate Change Culture Change
The environmental changes we see are continually becoming more obvious - and urgent- is also a cultural challenge. How citizens of the world collectively respond will set the course for our and our children’s lifetimes. Art can connect with people on a personal level and inspire action.
Europeans immigrating to North America shared a complex mix of beliefs and sentiments. Among these, "Manifest Destiny” put forth the idea that the US was preordained to occupy as much land on the continent as possible.Faced with the Westward Expansion, driven by the Louisiana Purchase, the Gold Rush, railroad development and the search for oil, Native American communities “adapted” and negotiated. Between 1778 to 1871, some 368 treaties were signed with native americans (and most later nullified).
The “reservation” system was created – to make it easier to "civilize the savages." Vintage postcards and Hollywood westerns and other media developed and expanded popular conceptions and misconceptions.Not commonly known, Native American communities often practiced recycling and reuse through the reworking of stone, shell, and hide - smart and often necessary practices. In our current world - vacillating between commercialism and conservation - it is easy to think of recycling as a modern trend, but “the roots of going green” go back much farther.
Vintage postcards and “Hollywood” media developed and expanded conceptions and misconceptions giving great credibility – a project that we now recognize as immoral.
This series reflects on our shared experiences over time – experiences that shape our beliefs, behavior, and culture in powerful and enigmatic ways. The current dilemma : Where do we go from here?