Our Land

The majestic views of unspoiled landscapes offered by our country's national parks have inspired countless artists. This August marks the centennial of the National Park Service, established to conserve natural and historic scenery by leaving it "unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations," as stated in the Congressional act that founded the agency. In celebration of this landmark anniversary, the Akron Art Museum exhibits photographs of these lands belonging to all United States citizens. Many of the artists represented in Our Land composed their images with both aesthetics and advocacy in mind; photography has been instrumental in lobbying government officials for parkland preservation for decades. In addition to historic photographs by artists including Ansel Adams and Carleton E. Watkins, Our Land will feature contemporary landscape photography demonstrating that National Park Service land continues to spur new aesthetic explorations. 

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.