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Water-focused art raises ecological awareness at GreenHill Center

Bryant Holsenbeck, Where is Our Water Falling, 2022, recycled water bottles, dimensions variable. Photograph courtesy of GreenHill Center for NC Art.

A new multimedia exhibition at Greensboro's GreenHill Center for North Carolina Art highlights environmental stewardship with a focus on water. "H20" will combine public art installations, gallery and multi-faceted exhibits, and educational programming.

The goal of all this — besides presenting visually captivating works by seven artists with North Carolina ties — is to spur community conversations and calls to action to protect and preserve fragile water systems.

A cascading public waterfall made with 10,000 plastic bottles draws attention to society's waste stream; enormous hexagonal columns made of encapsulated coal ash are suspended from the ceiling. They help tell the stories of local residents forced to live near toxic chemicals.

Curator Edie Carpenter says these works, like all art, do much more than simply raise awareness.

“It also allows us to feel emotionally and physically,” says Carpenter. “And the seven artists in "H2O" all offer us an avenue into reflection about the value, preciousness, scarcity and power of water for both ourselves and our communities.”

The "H2O" exhibition with weekly artist talks, student receptions and workshops opens March 5 at GreenHill Center for North Carolina Art in Greensboro.

Before his arrival in the Triad, David had already established himself as a fixture in the Austin, Texas arts scene as a radio host for Classical 89.5 KMFA. During his tenure there, he produced and hosted hundreds of programs including Mind Your Music, The Basics and T.G.I.F. Thank Goodness, It's Familiar, which each won international awards in the Fine Arts Radio Competition. As a radio journalist with 88.5 WFDD, his features have been recognized by the Associated Press, Public Radio News Directors Inc., Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals, and Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas. David has written and produced national stories for NPR, KUSC and CPRN in Los Angeles and conducted interviews for Minnesota Public Radio's Weekend America.

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