The Bureau of Reclamation, a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior, oversees water resource management. From the late 1960's' to early 1970s', it commissioned 40 prominent American artists to visit and create artworks inspired by reclamation sites in the American West, such as the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington, the Lower Colorado River of Arizona, and the Shasta Dam in California.
It was a fascinating artistic endeavor. These artists were given creative freedom to depict subjects related to Reclamation’s programs, including irrigation, hydropower generation, recreation, water conservation, and fish and wildlife enhancement. They were welcome to use whatever medium and style they wished.
The works of those artists who were commissioned ran the gamut of art styles. Richard Diebenkorn made abstracted color field landscapes. Dong Kingman, whom I've written about, made plein-air watercolors. Some artists visited sites and drew on-the-spot. Here is some of their reportage:
Artists of the 19th C., particularly George Catlin and Thomas Moran, had a part to play in America's expansion to the west. They travelled to paint what was there and document the land and its peoples. They assumed that part, if not all of their task, was to explore, examine and report on the details of their findings.
"Painters of the Old West trekked along as the country was being penetrated to the brink of development. They sketched colorful episodes on the trails, drafted impressions of the land's layout, and in their studios later they worked up popular pictures of the stunning new sights from jottings put down on-the-spot. Their timely share in thrills about prospects of the West were entirely in tune with official efforts to promote the emigration and settlement which eventually would leap to the phase explored here." - Douglas G. MacAgy, Curator of Exhibitions at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden of the Smithsonian Institution, in an excerpt from the introduction to the original exhibition, 1971
This project, with it’s fusion of art and water resource development, offered a fresh perspective on the accomplishments of a government agency, in deference to the beauty of our country. The Bureau of Reclamation, with more than 300 pieces of paintings and drawings in its collection, revitalized the practice of placing artists in the environment, so they could create artful responses to what they experienced; and bring that heritage forward.
Moving Water and Climate Change: It’s important to consider how America’s water reclamation policies are affecting the environment. While hydroelectric power generators do not directly contribute to climate change, its dams and reservoirs can affect the environment, transform the landscape and divert water, which may obstruct fish migration. Hydropower development does emit greenhouse gases, but at a much lower rate of emissions than for fossil fuel technologies.
More to Know:
View the Fine Art Collection of The Bureau of Reclamation here.
fantastic and fascinating this has turned me on to some new artists to research
Very interesting. Thank you Bill.