The Palmer Museum of Art in the College of Arts and Architecture at Penn State invites visitors to experience a wild ride filled with scientific and creative discoveries. Opening on Aug. 30, "Mark Dion and Alexis Rockman: Journey to Nature's Underworld" is the first survey of work by these two renowned artists who have long explored their relationship to ecology, nature and each other across three decades of professional and personal friendship.
Mark Dion and Alexis Rockman have each achieved international prominence for their individual and distinctive art practices while their creative and intellectual paths have evolved in tandem. They met in New York in the 1980s, and - since 1991 - their shared love of natural science, history, biology and outdoor exploration has cemented their friendship, leading to periodic collaborations that include tropical expeditions to Belize and Guyana, published dialogues, a book and more.
Today, their art collectively speaks to life amid environmental collapse. "Journey to Nature's Underworld" follows their work from 1990 to the present day.
"Presenting this show has been a monumental undertaking, befitting the monumental nature of humankind's vexed relationship with the environment," said Palmer Interim Director Joyce Robinson. "We are delighted to showcase the impactful work of these two major figures in the contemporary art world."
