Love Thy Neighbor
These cyanotype photogram panels are produced using one of the oldest forms of photography, in which an object is placed on light sensitive paper (or in this case fabric) and exposed to sunlight to produce a physical record or image of a two or three dimensional object.
The areas exposed to sunlight turn blue, while the shadows cast by the object on the surface of the fabric remain white.
For this site specific public art commission, I collected roots and branches from fallen trees on the banks of the Monocacy River and arranged them with cut paper to form a map of the interconnected waterways surrounding the site of the barn which flow to the Chesapeake Bay. While conducting research for the project and looking at maps of this site, I was struck by the density of rivers and creeks throughout the area and began to think about how residents and these farms (mainly livestock) rely on the water access and the damaging runoff produced by livestock farms if irresponsibly managed. The Monocacy river is one of the most polluted rivers in MD as it is directly impacted by pollution runoff and erosion. Water is a resource we all rely upon to survive and often take for granted in our lives. By drawing attention to the interconnectedness of this precious resource of water while taking in the beauty of what you can see surrounded by these picturesque farms, I invite viewers to think more deeply about the relationship between the two and the importance of responsible farming practices.
This project was commissioned by the Frederick Arts Council.
