BE THEREThe DropPresented by Exit Art April 8, 2006- June 10, 2006Reception: April 8, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pmArtists Formerly Known as Women, Lillian Ball, Brandon Ballengée, Justin Beal, Bob Braine, Jackie Brookner, Donna Conlon, Nancy Drew, Peter Fend, Catherine Forster, Adam Frelin, Tony Hamboussi, Basia Irland, Sant Khalsa, Eve Andrée Laramée, Cynthia Lawson Jaramillo, Eric Forman, Carolyn Monastra, Lucia Pizzani, Andrea Polli, Joe Gilmore, Dr. Patrick Market, Aviva Rahmani, Ann T. Rosenthal, Steffi Domike, Christy Rupp, Fidel Sclavo, Arbuzo Virtmanis, Harlan D. Whatley, Bryan ZanisnikTHE DROP focuses on what many environmentalists consider to be one of the most important issues of the 21st century: water and its controversial role in the global environment.During the 1960's and 70's public awareness of the degradation of the earth's environment was at an all-time high - the farm industry, oil crisis and global warming, were brought to the public's attention by activists, environmentalists, and conservationists. Organizations like Greenpeace and the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal group convened to "protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment," were founded; the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species acts were passed; and the first Earth Day was held. Motivated by a vision for environmentally safe practices and solutions to the world's environmental and ecological problems, these groups and individuals began to shape a generation of grassroots activism and organizing. In the 1970s artists such as Agnes Denes, Robert Smithson, Joseph Beuys, Mierle Laderman Ukeles and Michael Heitzer did large-scale public projects that commented on the environment in which they were placed. In the 1980s and 90s, artists took advantage of new ways to deploy, collaborate, and access information, they responded to new environmental concerns such as recycling, rainforest protection, acid rain, and the near-extinction of some animal populations. Well into the 21st century, we still recognize the world's natural resources and environment as key national and global concerns. As science and technology move ahead at lightening speeds, so do debates and concerns over the environment - from government regulations and privatization of public lands to the overabundance of genetically modified fruits and vegetables. Systems for environmental erosion are becoming more complex, making cross-disciplinary dialogues amongst scientists, artists, environmentalists, conservationists, and historians increasingly beneficial. Exit Art explores these ideas in THE DROP, a conceptual exhibition that poses questions about the current environmental landscape in order to foster a deeper understanding of our natural resources and environment. Exit Art has a rich history of presenting issue-based exhibitions that bring together science, activism and concern about the environment, including Poverty Pop (1994), an exhibition of work by artists who used recycled objects to create their artwork; Public Notice (1997), an exhibition about the intersection of graphic design and activism; Paradise Now: Picturing the Genetic Revolution (2000) in which artists brought an awareness to the benefits and dangers inherent in genetic research; and our upcoming exhibition The Brain scheduled for 2007.
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