River on Fire – an exhibition

River on Fire is a multidisciplinary exhibition showcasing the work of 14 artists who respond to environmental crises and climate change. Curated by Ashley DeHoyos Sauder, the exhibition draws inspiration from a long history of environmental activism related to river fires across the nation— events that have significantly shaped understandings of ecological preservation and environmental advocacy.

The featured artists: Carolina Aranibar-Fernández (San Francisco, CA), Brandon Ballengée (New Orleans, LA), Alana Bartol (Calgary, Alberta, Canada), Christina Battle (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), Hannah Chalew (New Orleans, LA), Lili Chin (New York, NY), Willow Naomi Curry (Houston, TX), Morel Doucet (Miami, FL), Heather L. Johnson (Houston, TX), Ayanna Jolivet Mccloud (Houston, TX), Laura Napier (Ann Arbor, MI), Joe Robles IV (Pasadena, TX), Manuel Alejandro Rodríguez-Delgado (Roswell, NM/Puerto Rico), and Zuyva Sevilla (Albuquerque, NM) bring attention to pressing ecological issues. Through artistic research and lived experience, they highlight the unique environmental challenges facing local, regional, and national landscapes.

Through creative action and building a historical understanding of these types of cataclysmic events, River on Fire seeks to provide a platform for conversation and awareness of ongoing environmental issues. The relationship between living in a city dominated by industry and co-existing with environmental disaster in the wake of climate change has brought the city’s resilience into question and increased concerns over the continuation of industry practices that place people and the natural world at risk. As Houston continues to grow, the effects of climate change have become increasingly severe— record heat waves, flooding, more frequent and intense hurricanes, and massive power outages are clear signs that we already have to confront new and different ways of being. River on Fire asks: how do artists and creative practices shift the narrative and introduce possible solutions in a city with such a complex ecosystem?

River on Fire includes internal evaluations of DW exhibition practices and implementation of sustainable exhibition design developed through a year-long Climate Coaching Pilot with the Teiger Foundation and Rute Collaborative, a Canadian-based environmental consultant. The impetus for the project comes in part from Houston’s entwined history with the oil, gas, and chemical industries and the curator’s youth spent living in Houston-area neighborhoods close to these industries.

River on Fire is presented in conversation with the eighth iteration of the Texas Biennial The Last Sky, co-curated by Ashley DeHoyos Sauder, Erika Mei Chua Holum, and Coka Treviño. Biennial artists featured in River on Fire include Brandon Ballengée, Heather L. Johnson, Ayanna Jolivet Mccloud, Laura Napier & Zuyva Sevilla.

Save the date for the Art and + Climate Justice Symposium happening November 8 – 10, 2024. Information and updates at Diverseworks.org.