The Specialness of Springs
Aug 18 - Sep 10
Moreau Art Galleries
| Wednesday, Aug. 18 - Friday, Sep. 10 | Free Event |
Art Exhibition: "The Specialness of Springs" - Work by Kay Westhues
August 18 - September 10, 2021
public reception September 2, 5 to 7 pm
Kay Westhues' work is concerned with rural practices and places, and encompasses the fields of photography, videography, audio and ethnography. Traditionally, the water sources of her current project functioned as part of the public commons, freely accessed by travelers or those in need before municipal water systems were available. Some springs have been flowing for over a century and have played a central role in colonialization and Western expansion. The state once contained hundreds of springs in the public commons; today only a few dozen provide a safe water supply. These are still visited by individuals who collect the water out of preference or necessity. They are sites where geography, history, public policy, and public health intersect.
She is currently developing a website and traveling exhibition based on her oral history project abut a roadside spring in Gary, IN, supported by Indiana Humanities, the Calumet Heritage Partnership, the Center for a Sustainable Future at IU South Bend, and the Environmental Studies Program at Saint Mary's College.
Kay is an associate faculty member at the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts, Indiana University South Bend, and an adjunct faculty member at the University of Saint Francis, Fort Wayne, Indiana.