The Last Glacier, Matthew Warren Lee

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courtesy James Watrous Gallery

Ian van Coller, "Gem and Salamander Glaciers, Glacier National Park," 2012.

Todd Anderson, Bruce Crownover, and Ian van Coller — two printmakers and a photographer — have dubbed themselves “The Last Glacier” collective, and are using art to document the waning of earth’s remaining glaciers. Also in the gallery is The Book of Miracles, a collection of oil paintings of dominating landscapes by Matthew Warren Lee. In all cases, the art is realistic, but goes beyond realism. Friday's reception features the artists. The gallery is open Thursdays through Saturdays from noon-6 p.m. and Sundays noon-5 p.m. and Overture currently requires all visitors to show proof of COVID vaccination or negative test.

press release: Join us for a reception on December 3 (6-8 pm) celebrating this collective exhibit, which will be on display at the James Watrous Gallery from November 12, 2021-January 23, 2022.

Deeply concerned about our global future, these artists make exquisite work that considers our fragile present from the perspective of deep time. The drama, brilliant color, and sheer beauty of their imagery tugs at our emotions and reminds us of the essential fragility of both human life and our planet’s intricate ecosystems. Their art is also grounded in research, from the scientific record on glacial retreat to the history of Antarctic exploration.

Bruce Crownover, Todd Anderson, & Ian van Coller: The Last Glacier

As The Last Glacier collective, printmakers Bruce Crownover and Todd Anderson and photographer Ian van Coller are dedicating their studio practice to capturing the fading majesty of earth’s remaining glaciers. Their project began as a response to the rapidly retreating glaciers of Glacier National Park, and has expanded to working with scientific collaborators at glacial landscapes in Iceland, Tanzania, Colorado, and beyond. Anderson and Crownover’s reductive woodcuts are, in the words of essayist Nancy Mahoney, “layered landscapes that go beyond realistic representations. Their prints portray a larger truth about the glacial texture, mass, subtle colorations, and antiquity, which cannot be captured in scientific prose.” In contrast, van Coller’s subtle, richly detailed photographs bring the texture and chilly grandeur of this disappearing landscape into sharp focus.

Matthew Warren Lee: The Book of Miracles

Matthew Warren Lee’s oil paintings depict rugged landscapes interrupted and dominated by huge, sophisticated architectural follies and scientific instruments, from telescopes and particle colliders to neutrino detectors. The contrast between the turbulent natural environment, empty city buildings, and looming, ominous technology evokes questions about the promise of scientific discovery, the place of humans in the landscape, and the risks inherent in human interventions in nature. Through his research and his art, Lee seeks a new language to understand the present and contemplate possible futures, one that captures urgency and hope for both the preservation of nature and the ambitions of civilization.

Fall hours: Thursday-Saturday 12-6, Sunday 12-5. Also open by appointment or chance. To make an appointment for private viewing, contact James Watrous Gallery director, Jody Clowes: jclowes@wisconsinacademy.org. 

In keeping with Overture Center’s health and safety protocols, we encourage all visitors to wear masks. Disposable masks will be available at the gallery desk.