The Great Lakes Cycle

This post is an installment from a trip to Chicago in June with Katrina

In addition to the wonderful discovery of the Chicago Mural we had an oppotunity to view some work by Alexis Rockman.  Unfortunately I took so long in writing about this so the exhibit closed on October 1st but it opens next week at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

The main focus of the exhibit was The Great Lakes Cycle, a suite of paintings and other work developed out of Rockman's research, travel and interaction with people from the Great Lakes region who specialize in the lakes and their ecosystems.  The exhibit explore the past, present and future of the Great Lakes.

"Forces of Change"

These ecosystems are unfortunately threatened by pollution, climate change, invasive species, mass agriculture and urban sprawl. "Forces of Change" focuses on the area near Niagara Falls.  Horseshoe Falls is depicted in the background, with the Buffalo River in the foreground as it flows past industrial buildings. The sediment of the river is contaminated with mercury, lead and other toxins from industrial dumping.

"Watershed"

Thousands of rivers and streams empty into the Great Lakes and are key to keeping them healthy.  Chemical runoff from farm fertilizers and pollution from city sewage is a hazard to these waters now and in the future.

"Spheres of Influence"

"Spheres of Influence" was my favorite in the series. The images explore how the Great Lakes connect to the larger global ecosystem which includes weather, migrating birds, airborne contaminants and humans who have traveled on the lakes from the early canoes to 20th century freight steamers. 

Close-up of Loon diving in "Spheres of Influence"

Beneath the surface lies a DC-4 passenger plane downed by a storm over Lake Michigan in 1950, and of course many ships lies beneath these waters as well. The air teems with birds and insects, reminding us of the poisons they encounter in the ecosystem. One of these is  C. botulinum which can be found in wetlands and lakes and often exists in a spore form that is resistant to heat and drying. The "disease environment" is typical during the hot months from May through October. In some instances the bacteria may remain viable for years.  Avian Botulism affects the peripheral nerves of the bird and results in paralysis of the voluntary muscles. This results in an inability of the bird to sustain flight that is observed in the early stages of botulism. Once this has occurred, birds suffering from botulism are commonly observed propelling themselves across the water with just their wings. The next effect to occur is paralysis of the inner eyelid membrane followed by paralysis of the neck muscles. This results in an inability of the bird to hold its head erect causing "limp neck" Loss of flight and limp neck is the most recognizable signs of Avian Botulism. Once birds reach this stage, death from drowning often occurs before they reach the next stage or respiratory failure.

"Pioneers"

"Pioneers" shows the glacial ice sheets from 10,000 years ago which carved this area and then filled with the meltwater to become the Great Lakes. These lakes have been colonized by many varieties of fish, and unfortunately humans have interfered in this process such as when ballast is ejected from freighters as shown in the painting.  That water can contain dozens of invasive species from across the globe and wreak havoc on an ecosystem not prepared for them.

"Cascade"

Humans have used the Great Lakes as a resource since the Paleo-Indians of the Ice Age.  The lakes provided resources for European explorers in fur trapping, hunting and trade. In later times logging, mining, commercial fishing and transportation have made their impact as well.  Individuals, governments and communities are all responsible for trying to protect these lakes for future.

The paintings were stunning, these photographs of course aren't the same as seeing them in person.  I really appreciated how they told a story and had a message that was so powerful and hope to see more art like this on my travels.