Photography by Harvey Halpern
The exhibition reflects photographer Harvey Halpern’s documentation of the Indigenous history of the Colorado Plateau. An Opening Reception will be held on Friday, January 9 from 4-6pm. Halpern will give an Artist Talk at 5:30pm, where he will introduce himself and discuss his creative process, with time for audience questions at the end.
Harvey Halpern has been professionally photographing Wilderness throughout North America since 1978, though the emphasis of his work has been the canyons of Southern Utah. Home to Indigenous peoples for at least 12,000 years, the region holds an extraordinary cultural legacy: lithic flakes, arrowheads, structures, pottery and rock art in the form of both petroglyphs (images pecked into rock) and pictographs (images painted onto to rock using both mineral and organic “paints”). Halpern has been photographing these cultural artifacts for more than 50 years.
“By focusing so long and hard on one region, I have been able to get into some truly remote areas. Some of my photographs are of areas that no one on foot has seen for over 600 years,” says Halpern. “Being in a truly wild landscape is at the core of what I’m trying to impart. At the same time, I delight in challenging the viewer’s perspective on size, color, and perspective itself.”
Many of the culturally rich areas photographed by Halpern are protected by Bears Ears National Monument, over 1.35 million acres of public lands set aside in 2015. However, he notes that these lands remain vulnerable: back in his first term President Trump reduced the size of Bears Ears National Monument by over 85%.
His photographs aim to highlight what could be lost and to inspire viewers to advocate for the preservation of public lands. “Only by collectively fighting for these treasures can we ensure that they will remain for future generations to see, experience, and stand in awe of.” Some of the organizations fighting for these lands are: Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Bears Ears Partnership and the Grand Canyon Trust. “All are worthy of your support,” says Halpern.
The PTL Community Art Gallery is a regional public art space which provides exhibition opportunities for students, emerging artists, and the community. We work to create positive experiences that promote learning and growth for artists, and develop meaningful connections between the artist and the community.
Peterborough Town Library, located downtown at the corner of Main and Concord/Rt 202, has a large meeting room, study rooms, classroom, and a board room available to the public.
