Citizen’s Eye

Citizen’s Eye

January 21 to March 21, 2021

The Schuylkill Center presents Citizen’s Eye — A Kaleidoscope of Nature, a communal photo album of nature encounters featuring over 400 images taken during the last 9 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Asking how has nature been a part of your life in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the Schuylkill Center invited its community to share their favorite photographs of surprising encounters with nature and to become part of a kaleidoscopic display in its art gallery and on its website.

Nature can take us by surprise. An encounter that is often mutual and equally surprising to humans and other species. Our romantic idea of nature is usually characterized by spectacular landscapes, rushing rivers and lush forests, but in fact the little miracles of nature present themselves every day. In times when we’re spending our lives physically apart, we’ve started to discover the world around us through new eyes. With curiosity and appreciation, we started to deeply recognize the natural landscapes around us—how the sun is breaking through trees in front of homes, animals are populating the city streets, humans are navigating crowded trails, and tiny wildflowers are blooming on sidewalks. Whether in urban cityscapes, rural hideaways or private homes, for many of us nature has become a refuge, even a sanctuary, that allows us to breathe and recharge.

Asking how has nature been a part of your life in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the Schuylkill Center invited its community to share their favorite photographs of surprising encounters with nature. Citizen’s Eye is a non-juried exhibition that invites the greater community in Philadelphia and beyond to share their perspective on the natural world in these uncertain and changing times. The exhibition looks through the curious and compassionate eyes of Philadelphians and beyond, unfolding a new sense of discovery and recognition of nature’s systems and processes. Citizen’s Eye is a nonlinear picture atlas that reconsiders humanity’s emotional connections to nature while putting the ephemeral nature of life into current perspective.

This exhibition is kindly supported by the Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation. The Schuylkill Center’s environmental art program is supported by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Philadelphia COVID-19 Arts Aid Fund.

 

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14 entries.
Tracy A Patruno wrote on February 28, 2021 at 3:07 pm
Haven't been to on-site exhibit but just viewed online. Lots of great photos! I especially love ones including wildlife. In a year that was spent mostly at home (for me) and very local in my neighborhood, nature walks were even more special and restorative. Thanks for sharing images.
Dorothy Burton wrote on February 23, 2021 at 5:43 pm
Wonderful exhibit! Beautiful pictures!
Cameron Marino wrote on February 15, 2021 at 3:43 pm
Throughout this pandemic, I have found that spending time in nature keeps grounded my thoughts and feelings. I have often looked to animals as a reminder that we as living beings adapt and make do with our surroundings.
Rebecca Dhondt wrote on February 15, 2021 at 3:42 pm
Even in a changing world we can be grateful that nature gives us a safe place to connect.
Lindsey Kleinberg wrote on February 15, 2021 at 3:35 pm
Something this pandemic should have taught us is the interconnectedness we have with nature. We are a part of nature.
Amanda Duncan` wrote on February 12, 2021 at 8:52 am
This is a wonderful exhibit and I'm looking forward to seeing it in person!
Anthony S. Torcasio wrote on February 10, 2021 at 7:28 pm
I would love to thank Tina Plokarz and Schuykill Center for accepting my photos for The Citizen’s Eye show. I was finally able to go see it in person yesterday and I was truly impressed. I loved how the photos we’re displayed on the wall with the edges staggered to creating an effect which gave me the feeling the photos where floating in the sky. Sincerely Anthony S. Torcasio
Perry and Evelyne Benson wrote on February 7, 2021 at 4:04 pm
What a striking collection of photos, each one representing the photographer as a very connected human observer and participant. And what a clever concept, to bring the community together in this way, when connections are appreciated so powerfully.
ANTHONY TORCASIO wrote on February 6, 2021 at 12:23 pm
Very beautiful! 🍂🍂🍂🍁🍃
Lisa Schnell wrote on January 26, 2021 at 11:05 pm
What a gorgeous show! I could feel myself relax as I clicked through the photos. Thank you for taking me to places I can't get to right now. Congratulations to all the photographers. Beautiful work! (also, I viewed the show online, but I appreciate the shots of the gallery and the text, too.)
Damini celebre wrote on January 23, 2021 at 5:55 am
Loved being able to view the show and spent time with each image and perspective
jere edmunds wrote on January 22, 2021 at 2:50 pm
THANKYOU for the opportunity to share my vision
Nancy Agati wrote on January 22, 2021 at 1:32 pm
Great show. Thank you!
Benjamin White wrote on January 22, 2021 at 1:31 pm
lovelt!


Featured photographs by Kathy Holden, Nathalie Borozny, Lindsey Pennington, Cameron Marino, Sant Khalsa, Ellen Jantzen, Jacque Liu, Marieken Cochius, Devon Harrison, Ent Natale, Patti Dunne, Kevin McConnell, Denise Peck, Yannick Lowery, Jill McAnally, Ellie Seif, Carl Gunhouse, Stuart Rome, Karla Kieffer, Stevie Love, Aline Mare, Barbara Gold, Drew Rinaldi Subits, Anthony Torcasio, Julien Dorsey, Chris Strub, Charlie Neely, Lillian Hodgson, Siobhan Duffy, Kelly Steinlage, Melinda Tollen, Catherine Samson, Jawan Martinez, Sarah Kolker, Alana Bograd, Shanel Edwards, Alex Epstein, Bronwyn Gaw, Elisabeth Schwarz, Paula Mangan, Christopher McGill, Peter DeStefano, Lisa Myers, Jane Alavi, Rebecca Dhondt, Alice Kirsch, LJ Brubaker, Gary Reed, Grace Bevelheimer, Scott Williams, Ann Kent, The Schwarz Family, Ed Wickham, Gerri Vattimo, Dylan Monaghan, Bonita Wolchko Rivera, Alexandria Baland, Vincent Rivera, Steve Marino, Brooke Wimberley, Sheila Frederick, Andrew Niess, Amanda Duncan, Lyn Poltenson, Wendy Osterweil, Werner Taylor, Rahul Shah, Walther Vera, Zeph Fishlyn, Maureen Burns Bowie, Joy Lai, Lisa Auerbach, Alexandria Lombardi, Ciara Cordero, Beatrice Kelly, Lauren Vroegindewey, Dottie Baumgarten, Claire Robinson, Rosalie Wetzel, Mark Lipshutz, Tanya Wilder, Rose Hammerman, Gretel DeRuiter, Jere Edmunds, Kayla Brage, Anne Swoyer, Juan Cepeda, John LaRosa, Susan Wilson, Tina Plokarz, Saleem Ahmed, Josephine Fanega, Conezy, Heather Sprague, Ann Ward, Jane Century, Bernie Wilson, Damini Celebre, Marian Howard, Rebecca Miller, Julia Way Rix, Megan Powers, CJ Walsh, Iris Van Orden, Melinda DiStefano, Elliot Wilson, Howard Spodek, Ben Murphy, Ryan Hogan, Avery Tompkins, Rich Evans, Marina Kec, Susan DiPronio, Willard Terry, Heather Sizemore, Jace Zerumsky, Chris Combs, Pilar Berguido, Peter Handler, Elisabeth Torg, Mike Rodin, Aaliyah Ross, Sabrina Root, Robert Reinhardt, Pam McLean-Parker, Mary McDow, Steph Barrale, Maura Murphy, Lindsey Kleinberg, Susan Niescier, Bonnie Levinthal, Lauren Belcher, Rebecca Schultz, Aarav Parashar, Amanda Parashar, Nicole Hehn, Kate Brogdon, Mary Agnes Williams, Dana Waldman, Kristin Brown, Linnie Greenberg, Tommy McShane, Sam & Maggie Henderson, Karen Vaccaro, Michelle Havens, Jim Hay, Rebecca Brodie, Geeta Ahya, Keenan Bennett, Cynthia Skripak, Naomi Martin, Dan Cory, Paige Menton, Donna Lipin, Matthew Sawyer, Nancy Agati, Sara Allen, Rob Seitz, Eurhi Jones, Leo Murray, Bill Botzow, Kathleen Wert, Aidan Mirowsky, Esther Baker-Tarpaga, Stephen Waldinger, Kevin ODonovan, Kathleen Brown, Amber Johnston, Lauren Fiasconaro, Joy Waldinger, Kathy Lopez, Jahson Clarke, Charmaine Caire, Sandy Brubaker, Marley Massey Parsons, Suzanne Marinell, Eduardo Duenas, Nick Tonetti, Trevor Giesberg, Francis & Noah Raven, Monica Hamill, and DJ Siravo.

A virtual opening reception is held on Thursday, January 21 from 7–8 pm. Moderated by Director of Environmental Art Tina Plokarz, the reception brings together reflections by mythologist and social practice artist Li Sumpter Ph.D., John Heinz National Wildlife refuge manager Lamar Gore, and designer CJ Walsh, as well as comments and questions by our community and participants. Watch the full event on our YouTube channel.

Read an interview by Emily Sorensen with our Director of Environmental Art, Tina Plokarz, on the Schuylkill Center’s blog.

Watch a virtual tour about the exhibition on our YouTube channel.