L A N D

Happenings

SEPTEMBER 2005

If you find yourself anyplace close to Philadelphia, here are two “must see” sights!

Katrin Spiess and Sue Labouvie recently visited Amy Lipton, curator of ecoarts at Abington Art Center, outside Philadelphia. Her exhibition, Inside/Outside Passages, situated in the beautiful sculpture garden at the museum, showcases the work of several ecoartists who use found objects and natural materials as their palette. The creations appear as succulent sculptures that complement and co-exist with their natural environment.

“Inside/Outside Passages” was open until November 23, 2005. As you walk through the grand outdoor grounds, a series of other environmental art sculptures can be viewed, representing years of support for ecoartists and their work.

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Photos, top to bottom, left to right:

Steven Siegel, Scale, 2002

Winifred Lutz, A Reclamation Garden, 1992 – present

Michele Brody, Arbor Lace II, 2005

Lisa Murch, Typha Latifolia (Cattails), 2005

Roy Staab, Katsura Passage, 2005

Alan Greenberg, Up House Down, 1996

Ursula von Rydingsvard, Hannah's Horizon, 1994

Not far from the Abington Art Center is the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. Again a breathtaking forested site, with paths and environmental art scattered throughout the grounds. Several of the art creations were so temporal, that by the time we reached them, their organic components had already started to compost – part of the special character of ecoart.

As part of The Center’s effort to support environmental education, several of the art projects were created by university students interested in environmental issues.