Natalie Akins’ pictures exhibition explores the results of Hurricane Helene in Appalachia – The Blue Banner

“For the past year and a half, I have photographed different places in and around Asheville and Western North Carolina, looking at the long term ecological impacts of climate change and Hurricane Helene,” mentioned Natalie Akins, a BFA pupil at UNC Asheville and the featured artist for her senior capstone solo present.

Akins mentioned the message she hopes is obtained by viewers of the present is that the depth of storms like hurricane helene are solely going to maintain growing with local weather change. The present options photographs exhibiting the injury that was prompted from helene on Asheville and different elements of Western North Carolina.

“This body of work examines the increasing severity of climate-driven events on ecosystems and communities. As global temperatures rise due to human activity, storms and natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe. Using photography and informed by environmental science research, this project explores themes of regrowth and resilience in Southern Appalachia following Hurricane Helene, an unprecedented storm intensified by a warming climate. By layering photographs taken at different stages of recovery, the work seeks to visualize the lived reality of climate change and the long-term ecological and social consequences. It aims not only to document transformation but also to emphasize the urgent need for meaningful climate reform,” Akins wrote about her solo present, and the outline was proven on a wall within the heart of the exhibition.

“I’ve worked on it for a long time. Really, all of college has been spent preparing for BFA, but especially the past three semesters. It’s a step towards what I want to do, I’m looking at grad schools currently,” Akins mentioned. “I’ve gotten to learn a lot.”

“I think this shows a level of professionalism, this is quite a well put together exhibition,” Eric Tomberlin, affiliate professor of artwork and Akins’ advisor, mentioned. “I think it’s important for all of us to come to a place like this to see this work or any of the student shows.”

Tomberlin mentioned every BFA pupil solo exhibition takes on a special subject material and offers viewers new questions to consider every time. He mentioned it’s one thing he thinks folks ought to take time to see and recognize.

“This one is really focused on thinking about Helene and climate change,” Tomberlin mentioned. “But another exhibition could be thinking more about another topic, like race or gender.”

Tomberlin mentioned coming to a solo exhibition from an rising artist provides a novel viewpoint than what’s seen at a better degree and age, resembling artwork seen from a museum.

“I think young artists have the potential to be tapped into what’s going on better,” Tomberlin mentioned.

“Young people coming up are a little bit more tuned in. A big career artist is probably not quite tuned in the same way.”

Tomberlin additionally thinks attending occasions like it is a good probability to work together with the artwork neighborhood on the college. It’s probability to help an artist and hearken to the dialog.

“This is a very timely and personal type of work that captures something that we’ve all been experiencing,” Laurel Taylor, assistant professor of artwork historical past, mentioned.

Taylor mentioned that the exhibition provides a neighborhood view of the impacts of Helene on western North Carolina. She mentioned that is the distinction between seeing a pupil’s BFA exhibition that skilled one thing that the viewers of the exhibition possible skilled as properly, versus a typical museum expertise that’s not as private.

“Having something on this scale is pretty important,” Taylor mentioned. “This is a very timely and personal type of work that captures something that we’ve all been experiencing.”