Nevada Museum of Art showcases photos by Joan Myers

Tuesday, 14 August 2007 23:23

RENO, NV – The troubled history of California’s Salton Sea is on exhibit in Salt Dreams: Reflections from the Downstream West opening August 25, 2007 at the Nevada Museum of Art (NMA). Salt Dreams examines the complex environmental history of the Salton Sea, the largest lake in California. Comprised of photographs by Joan Myers, the exhibition provides viewers with a fresh perspective on water issues that have impacted the surrounding region since it was accidentally flooded in 1905. Salt Dreams: Reflections from the Downstream West will be on view in the NMA’s Altered Landscape Gallery August 25 through December 9, 2007.

Beginning in 1986, Myers began a series of trips to the Salton Sea to photograph the drained gardens, mud volcanoes and abandoned structures. The photographs address themes related to water issues, the border, rights of the natives, development projects and environmental concerns. The hauntingly beautiful black-and-white photographs are lightly colored with watercolor paint, and were recently acquired by the NMA for The Altered Landscape: Carol Franc Buck Collection. This exhibition is presented as part of the NMA’s Art + Environment exhibition series, an initiative that brings community, artists, and scholars together to explore the interaction between people and their environments.

Salt Dreams: Reflections from the Downstream West was organized by the California Exhibition Resources Alliance (CERA) in conjunction with the Museum of History and Art, Ontario Associates. The traveling exhibit was made possible by a generous gift from the California Council for the Humanities.

Salt Dreams: Reflections from a Downstream West is accompanied by an exhibition catalogue written by William deBuys. The book is available at The Store located in the NMA , hardcover only. Salt Dreams: Reflections from the Downstream West will be on exhibit from August 25 through December 9, 2007 at the Nevada Museum of Art, Donald W. Reynolds Center for the Visual Arts, E. L. Wiegand Gallery located at 160 West Liberty Street in downtown Reno. The galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm, late on Thursdays until 8 pm; closed Mondays and national holidays. Admission: free for NMA members; $10 adults, $8 students/seniors. For more information, please call 775.329.3333 or visit www.nevadaart.org

The Nevada Museum of Art is a private, non-profit organization supported by the generosity of its membership as well as by sponsorships and grants. Through creative programming and scholarship, the NMA provides the opportunity for people to encounter, engage and enjoy a diversity of art experiences. The NMA is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm, open Thursday evenings until 8 pm. The galleries, Museum Store and Café Musée are closed on Mondays and national holidays.