Landscapes did not emerge as a separate subject in the West until the Renaissance in the 16th century. The invention of photography has helped to transform landscapes from simple backgrounds into their own subjects. Modern landscapes have expanded the category from a more traditional approach to one that gives the artist more liberty to explore nature in art.
Using the works from the McIninch Art Gallery's collection, student educators Kassie Stanley and Nya Trudelle curated this exhibition of landscapes while considering the central question for viewers – what do these paintings evoke in us, and how? Landscapes are a universal subject, and they produce a response in all of us, be it an emotion, a memory, or a desire to go to the place represented. When observing this exhibition, we encourage you to explore what you believe to be the artists' balance of incorporating a message and directly observing nature.
