Cryosphere: Humans and Climate in Art from the Loeb

About the publication

In 1914, literary naturalist and Hudson Valley resident John Burroughs wrote, “In the snow-storm: we are admitted into Nature’s oldest laboratory.” This laboratory is part of the cryosphere, the term given to places on Earth where water is in solid, rather than liquid, form. Describing the fleeting and varied forms of the cryosphere—ice and snow in particular—is a challenge shared by artists and scientists alike. This exhibition and the accompanying text applies the approach and knowledge of an earth scientist to art that focuses on the cryosphere, with the aim of enhancing viewers’ understanding of not only the works themselves, but also the planet we inhabit. It features paintings, prints, photographs and sculpture from the nineteenth century to the present day, including works by Sanford Robinson Gifford, Taguchi Beisaku, Doris Lee, and Oshutsiak Pudlat. This brochure features an essay by Elizabeth Nogrady, Andrew W. Mellon Curator of Academic Programs, and Jill Schneiderman, professor of Earth Science. This publication was made possible by generous support provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.