POSTPONED – Earth Day at 50: Opening Reception

Often credited with launching the modern environmental movement, the first Earth Day took place on April 22, 1970, in a political climate thick with protests against the Vietnam War and the major American civil rights movement. On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in 2020, it feels like a very different time. Yet, the turmoil of our own moment and the increasing urgency of the climate crisis give the historical roots of the first Earth Day new relevance.

Artists have played an important role in Earth Day from the beginning, regularly contributing graphic posters and iconography to buoy the movement, participating in Earth Day exhibitions, and offering dramatic, performative actions. Recognizing this rich legacy, this exhibition of works responds to the question of what Earth Day means (or should mean) fifty years after it was first celebrated.

The opening reception will offer a first look at the exhibition, along with refreshments and remarks from the artists and curators.