Two Erie Canal Museum artists in residence visited select areas of the Canal to shed some light on its often painful past and showcase its beauty and troubles including invasive species along the waterbody. Sarah Cameron Sunde and Kari Varner also question its ecological future in “Canal As Collaborator.” The exhibition is set to close soon and an event Friday night offers residents an opportunity to gain further insights from the artists. Sunde said while people benefitted from canal’s transportation, its manmade creation devastated indigenous tribes and lands.
“So, how do we acknowledge that genocide, what really happened?” Sunde said. “In terms of historically, how do we recognize the people that were here, the plants that were here, the waters that were running, the way that they were running.”
Sunde physically got on the ground in some of her photos to interpret the canal's stories.
Varner says Sunde’s photos demonstrate vulnerability in order to capture the Erie Canal’s history. Varner harvested invasive species along the canal, highlighting them in her art. One of her favorite pieces in the exhibit unpacks the history of the round Goby fish.
“So, I opted to put these small prints over 70 of them into these little drawers; into what was a library card catalogue," Varner said. "You kind of get to peek through and explore, as I was being this sort of observer. Certainly, not a trained scientist myself.”
The artists and their collaborators will be on hand at the Erie Canal Museum Friday night from 4 to 8 pm. A “Deep Listening Water Walk” from the museum to Clinton Square begins the program at 4 PM. The exhibition’s last day is September 28th.
