Art Meets Ecology: Unlawning America Exhibition and Seed Bomb Workshop at ISU

Idaho State University’s Department of Art is excited to host visiting artist Brian Collier for his upcoming exhibition, "Unlawning America: History & Future," running through the month of October at the CompARTment Gallery, located on the fourth floor of the Fine Arts Building. 

The exhibition will kick off with an artist talk by Brian Collier on Oct.1 at 5 p.m. in Room 401 of the Fine Arts Building. The 30-45 minute presentation will be followed by a Q&A session. After the talk, the opening reception for the exhibition will take place at 6 p.m. in the CompARTment Gallery on the fourth floor of the Fine Arts Building. These events are free and open to the public.Collier, a Professor of Art and Design at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont, is widely known for his ecological art initiatives that explore the intersection of human activity and the natural world. His presentation will delve into his artistic practice, which spans media such as websites, video, sculpture, photography, and public interventions. 

As an artist, Collier challenges traditional views of the human-dominated landscape and promotes a reevaluation of urban spaces, advocating for the reintroduction of native plants and wildlife into human-altered habitats. Through his projects and exhibitions he disseminates information about these sites, proposing strategies to re-evaluate the weedy margins of the human-dominated landscape. 

In conjunction with the exhibition, Collier will also lead a hands-on workshop on Monday, September 30 at 4:30 PM in Room 303 of the Fine Arts Building. The workshop will focus on creating “seed bombs” using native pollinator-friendly plant seeds, with the goal of supporting local ecosystems. The workshop is free, open to the public, and all materials will be provided. Participants will take home their seed bombs along with instructions on how to use them effectively to restore native plant life. The Department of Biology has partnered with the Department of Art to supply native seeds from its collection, ensuring that the seed bombs created in the workshop will have a positive ecological impact. 

Collier’s Unlawning America project, which has been gaining recognition nationwide, advocates for the transition of unused lawn spaces into meadows that support pollinators and improve local ecosystems. His research-based art initiative encourages a shift away from excessive lawn maintenance and promotes sustainable practices that enhance biodiversity and reduce pollution.

For more information please contact the Department of Art at ISU at art@isu.edu, (208) 282-2361.