SCAPE Studio in Pittsburgh presents “Petrochemical America”

by Duane Nichols on September 24, 2017

Also: Beaver Station on Oct. 16 - 20, 2017

Petrochemical America: From Cancer Alley to Toxic Valley

Described by Group Against Smog & Pollution (GASP), Newsletter, September 23, 2017

Join the growing regional conversation on Wednesday, September 27 at 5 p.m. at an Opening Night Cocktail Reception for the art exhibit “Petrochemical America, from Cancer Alley to Toxic Valley.”

The exhibit was inspired by the book “Petrochemical America” by Richard Misrach and Kate Orff (New York: Aperture, 2012), which tells the story of the degradation of the Louisiana landscape and the people who live there.

This presentation features drawings from the book by landscape architect Kate Orff and SCAPE Studio alongside photography from the Photographers of the Marcellus Shale Documentary Project, audio recorded by Public Herald, and a selection of documentary films. It relates a unique narrative of the people who live in the midst of a growing web of fracking well pads, pipelines, cryogenic plants and, soon, petrochemical plants. This show is curated by Sophie Riedel in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab.

On September 27, keynote speaker Wilma Subra will share stories and photographs about the people she has served in Cancer Alley and beyond. A chemist and scientist, she has devoted the last 30 years to helping defend local communities and workers against the oil and gas industries. Described as the “Rachel Carson of Louisiana,” she is a recipient of a MacArthur Fellow “Genius Award,” recognized for helping ordinary citizens understand, cope with, and address environmental issues that come with the growth of the petrochemical industry.

Those seeking knowledge about the petrochemical industry and the impact it will have on the environment and people’s health will find this exhibit illuminating. RSVPs are required.

Learn more about this event and more by visiting the Eventbrite page.

Wednesday, September 27, Time: 5 to 8 p.m.
SPACE Gallery
812 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

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Clean Air Council September 25, 2017 at 5:58 pm

To: MonValley Clean Air Coalition,

Join the growing regional conversation around the proposed expansion of the petrochemical industry in southwest Pennsylvania at an art exhibition about the petrochemical’s impact on the environment and people’s health.

This exhibition was inspired by the book Petrochemical America by Richard Misrach and Kate Orff, which tells the story of the environmental degradation of the Louisiana landscape and the people who live there. This exhibit will feature work designed to relate to the growing web of fossil-fuel infrastructure in southwest Pennsylvania, including drawings from Petrochemical America, photography from the Marcellus Shale Documentary Project, audio recorded by Public Herald, and a selection of documentary films.

This show is curated by Sophie Riedel in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab, Clean Air Council, Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community, PennFuture and the Air Quality Collaborative.

Schedule of events:

Opening Reception with Wilma Subra: September 27 – 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Regional Visioning Session: Elected officials and the public are invited to a conversation to envision a healthier economic future for our region. October 4 – 3:30 to 6:00 p.m.

Closing Reception with Gena Wirth of SCAPE Studio: October 7 – 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Location: SPACE, downtown Pittsburgh, 812 Liberty Ave

RSVP: Reservations for the evening speakers are required through Eventbrite. Admission is free.

Documentary Film Screenings:

Documentary films will be screened on a rotation throughout the event, with the exception of a Special Screening for each film noted in the list below. The films tell the stories of citizens and communities across the U.S. and Canada impacted by the petrochemical industry.

TRIPLE DIVIDE (REDACTED) Pittsburgh Premiere
Directors: Joshua Pribanic and Melissa Troutman
Distributor: Bullfrog Films (2017)
Length: 52 minutes
Special Screening: Thursday, September 28, 5 p.m.

FENCELINE: A COMPANY TOWN DIVIDED
Directors: Slawomir Grünberg
Distributor: Filmmakers Library (2002)
Length: 53 minutes
Special Screening: Saturday, September 30, 5 p.m.

LIVING DOWNSTREAM
Directed by: Chanda Chevannes
Distributed by: First Run Features (2010)
Length: 55 minutes
Special Screening: Sunday, October 1, 4 p.m.

CANADA’S TOXIC CHEMICAL VALLEY
Director: Patrick McGuire
Distributor: Vice (2013)
Length: 31 minutes
Special Screening: Thursday, October 5, 5 p.m.

ADDICTED TO PLASTIC
Director: Ian Connacher
Distributor: Bullfrog Films (2008)
Length: 53 minutes
Special Screening: Friday, October 6, 5 p.m.

Photo credit: From Pipe to Plastic Bag, Petrochemical America by Richard Misrach and Kate Orff.

More details on Facebook @PetrochemicalAmerica

Clean Air Council, CREATE Lab, Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community, PennFuture and Air Quality Collaborative gratefully acknowledge Aperture Foundation books and exhibitions departments and SCAPE for the rights to reprint the work.

PHILADELPHIA
135 S. 19th Street
Suite 300
Philadelphia, PA 19103
P: (215) 567-4004
F: (215) 567-5791

HARRISBURG
107 N. Front Street
Suite 113
Harrisburg, PA 17101
P: (717) 230-8806

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