Gallery Opening: Northern Peatlands
Photo: Kasey Currier
The Northern Peatlands Project has a home base in Old Forge, New York this summer. The Northern Peatlands photography exhibit at View Arts Center shares photography, video, and writing in an effort to transport visitors to these remarkable ecosystems.
As visitors walk into the Eco Gallery, their eyes are drawn across the room to the large-scale projection featuring aerial footage of Adirondack peatlands. The remarkable story of our peatlands unfolds in the caption of each photograph. The fine art photography on exhibit spans seasons and explores scale. Pitcher plants are larger than life, and vast landscapes resemble abstract paintings with vibrant colors and patterns.
The exhibit is open to the public and will be on display until July 21, 2024. An artist talk with science communicator Charlie Reinertsen will be held in the gallery space at View Arts Center on July 11 from 6-7 pm. Listen here to an interview on North Country Public Radio to learn more about Charlie’s vision behind The Northern Peatlands Project.
This collection of photographs and films spans multiple peatlands in Adirondack Park. One predominantly featured peatland is The Nature Conservancy’s Spring Pond Bog Preserve. The second largest peatland in the state, this ecosystem was under threat of development for biofuels before it was protected by The Nature Conservancy in the 1970s. Today, it is a haven for plants and animals who cannot live anywhere else.
This photograph of a pitcher plant is featured in the Northern Peatlands exhibit. The caption reads: “Toxic nectar and downward-facing hairs on the surface of the pitcher plant help trap prey. Pitcher plants slowly digest ants, flies, bees, slugs and snails who fall victim to their trap.”
Peatlands are often very challenging to access, and very few people have had an opportunity to experience them. Part of the mission of The Northern Peatlands Project is to bring these ecosystems into people’s living rooms and daily life. The gallery exhibit at the View Art Museum is an extension of this mission, helping to bring peatlands to the forefront of our conversations. Perhaps by seeing the beauty of these places and learning about their importance for wildlife habitat, clean air and water, and carbon sequestration, we will be able to garner greater support for peatland conservation and restoration efforts around the world.
Planning your visit
Northern Peatlands will be on display at View Arts Center in Old Forge, New York until July 21, 2024. An artist talk with science communicator and photographer Charlie Reinertsen will be held in the gallery space at View Arts Center on July 11 from 6-7 pm. The Corning Museum of Glass Mobile Hotshop will be on display at The View July 10 - July 14, with demonstrations from nationally recognized artists. Attend the View on July 11, and you will be able to see these demonstrations during the day and also attend Charlie’s artist talk from 6-7 pm.
The View is open Monday - Saturday from 10 am - 4 pm, and Sunday from 12 pm - 4 pm. General admission is $10, and provides access to a stunning collection of summer exhibits as well as the Wetlands Walkway.
Northern Peatlands Featured on North Country Public Radio
North Country Public Radio’s Todd Moe joined Charlie Reinertsen in the field to learn about The Northern Peatlands Project and the exhibit on display at View Arts Center. Explore a wetland on Paul Smith’s VIC and hear about Charlie’s passion for raising awareness of these vital ecosystems.
