SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
Incline Village, Nev. – Sierra Nevada College presents Great Basin Exteriors: A Photographic Survey, a free public exhibition of 30 photographs by three regional artists – Adam Jahiel, Daniel Cheek and Nolan Preece – which examines loss, change and abandonment in the American West. In this exhibit, the Great Basin is roughly defined as the area between the Wasatch Mountains along the Idaho and Utah borders and the Sierra Nevada Mountains along the Nevada and California borders. The three photographers featured in the exhibit have, independently, concentrated on the documentation of subjects that are changing in or rapidly disappearing from the Western landscape. Great Basin Exteriors: A Photographic Survey is on display from September 21, 2011 through November 15 in the Lake Gallery of Prim Library open 7 days a week.
Geologically, the Great Basin is part of the Basin and Range Province that covers most of Nevada and more than half of Utah, as well as parts of California, Idaho, Oregon and Wyoming. Jahiel’s photograph of cowboys in Northern Nevada poignantly illustrates both this rugged way of life and its marginalization in contemporary society. Daniel Cheek’s work celebrates the spaciousness of the Great Basin, which is then juxtaposed with small intrusions in the landscapes that are indicative of a changing West. Nolan Preece examines the rustic patina that is diminishing with restoration and development across the Great Basin.
The work of each photographer reflects a distinct style and technique, perfected during careers as highly regarded professional artists. Jahiel uses the platinum print to archive and preserve his images for the future. Cheek works with an 8 x 10 camera to reproduce the rich color of the Great Basin on chromogenic photo paper. Preece combines large format and digital cameras to produce black and white and color images of high quality.
This exhibit was organized by the Nevada Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs. Great Basin Exteriors: A Photographic Survey is part of the Nevada Touring Initiative – Traveling Exhibition Program and is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Nevada State Legislature.
For group tours or more information please contact Library Director Betts Markle at [email protected] or 775/881.7511. Library hours and directions can be found at www.sierranevada.edu.
A special thanks to the Darrell Armuth and Donna Hellwinkel Collection for its loan of their Adam Jahiel platinum prints for this exhibition.
Sierra Nevada College is a private liberal arts college offering undergraduate and graduate degrees with locations in Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, Reno and online. The interdisciplinary curriculum emphasizes entrepreneurial thinking, professional preparedness and sustainability. To learn more about Sierra Nevada College, call 775.831.1314 or visit www.sierranevada.edu
