Mining Scar

This summer I visited Canyonlands National Park’s Island of the Sky District for the first time. Staring down into the canyon, I was disappointed to see a road.

Before becoming a National Park, Canyonlands had a history of mining. Roads like this one were built for mining purposes. To show how exploitation of the land leaves scars on the landscape, I used an Exacto knife to cut the canvas along the road.

What scars will the next generation see?

Image credit: Mining Scar, 2021 | Acrylic on canvas | 24x48 inches

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