The Kentuck Art Center has partnered with the Alabama Water Institute to present “An Exploration of Tuscaloosa’s Waterways,” an art exhibition spanning Kentuck’s Museum, Teer and SoNo Galleries. The exhibition will remain open to the public until April 30.
The exhibit features the work of 28 artists, as well as educational tools, such as an augmented reality sandbox – a 3D appliance used to understand mapping, topography, watersheds and natural hazards. Patrons can observe the art, hear stories that have influenced the artists, learn more about how communities are connected and influenced by local waterways and engage in conversations about water with the AWI.
“Water influences every part of our lives, and that includes our local artwork,” said Amy Echols, executive director of Kentuck Art Center. “Kentuck is proud to be able to host this exhibition and is proud to partner with the Alabama Water Institute to highlight our water systems and some of the globally significant water research happening at The University of Alabama.”
This exhibition promotes the world-class research conducted at the AWI and aims to highlight the importance of local bodies of water and the delicate systems in which they exist through an artistic lens.
Located in Northport, Alabama, the center hosts a monthly Kentuck Art Night. This night acts as the opening reception for new exhibitions and includes music, food and local vendors for this free event.
The reception for the waterways exhibit, which took place March 2, featured remarks from AWI Interim Executive Director Mike Gremillion on the importance of collaboration with the center and showcasing the role water plays in society. Several members of the AWI staff were on-hand to interact with center patrons and participate in educational water activities, such as EnviroScape, which demonstrates how stormwater runoff carries pollutants through watersheds to lakes and rivers and the best management practices to prevent this type of pollution from occurring.