Since its inception, photography has always held a deep reverence for the natural world and its beauty. Early proponents of the medium such as Carlton Watkins and his photographs of traditionally revered staples of American natural beauty helped to establish a new visual language of the sublime that glorifies the spectacle of the landscape. Beyond being artistic steps forward these images also went on to influence policy, being passed around in Congress visually demonstrating the value of conservation and establishing the National Parks Service. Despite this history, there is a deep-rooted irony when one looks at the environmental harm caused by the process of creating these images. This irony persists to this day within an art world that claims to have become more concerned with environmentalism but often does not address the ecological impact of producing, moving, and displaying artworks.
By examining the ocean as a timeless presence, “Permanent Impermanence” seeks to critique the short-sighted and often hypocritical nature of art concerned with environmentalism. This piece is no exception to that hypocrisy. Consisting of four salt prints of water that are prone to fading and three cyanotypes of plastic, my piece highlights the inability of contemporary art to grapple with the time scales that ecological thought requires for meaningful change. Art is concerned with the here and now, and these prints may not even last for my lifetime, while a sustainable future needs to be considered far beyond human timescales. The ocean will exist long after my photo of it has faded, and to protect it there must be long-term strategies considered. For art to effectively promote environmentalist ideals it cannot just exist within the present conversation or promote spectacle. It must approach the issue with humility of its place, foregoing alarmist statements in favor of long-term contemplation. If done effectively, the damage an artwork causes can be outweighed by the hope and increased consideration for a distant future it can foster.