Eachcontributor donated an artwork specifically created to publicize the crucialissue of climate change. This includes two fabric sculptures by Marilyn Annintitled The Warming, which envisionsthe goddess Gaia (Mother Earth) and Man engaged in an ecological conversation.An artist from Milwaukee’sRiverwest neighborhood, David Niec, displays five small-scale oils portrayingthe vanishing winter weather, including Moonlightand Shadow on Snow.
All of theartwork mounted on the WPCA gallery walls, featuring a variety of mediums andabilities, additionally complements the scientific information behind theenvironmental concerns of climate change. Original music composed for thetraveling exhibit also accompanies the artwork; while pleasant, it may beoverreaching in its importance. A softbound exhibition catalog that revisitsevery artist and contributor statement regarding this timely subject allows forfurther review after leaving the gallery.
Theexhibition’s social objective underscores the fact that artwork often servesmultiple purposes without sacrificing the artist’s talent or the viewer’sinterest. Each artwork alone speaks volumes, but viewers can infer their ownconclusions as well. Applying the visual arts to political or social eventsreinforces the historical tradition exemplified by Picasso’s masterpiece Guernica, apainting that depicts the horrific aftermath of the 1937 bombing of Guernica, Spain.This approach employed by “Paradise Lost?” undeniably captures the public’sattention and encourages discussion of ideas and issues that could otherwise bedismissed or overlooked.
