Nancy Marie Mithlo, Occidental College Associate Professor of Art History and Visual Arts and Chair, American Indian Studies, Autry Museum of the American West, curated the exhibit “Emily Arthur - Endangered” featuring the work of printmaker Emily Arthur, Assistant Professor of Art, (emily-arthur-artist.squarespace.com/what-we-do/) in Occidental College's Weingart Gallery, March 2-April 9, 2016. Arthur is known for her commentary on environmental degradation and her creative interventions with the archival record. She produces work in etchings, woodcut, screenprint, monoprint, drawings and mixed media.
During Arthur’s 2015 research trip to the Occidental campus, she was introduced to the controversy surrounding the California gnatcatcher, an endangered species bird that lives in the California Sage Scrub zone, one of the most threatened habitats in California. Efforts are underway to have this bird species removed from an endangered species classification, potentially opening up thousands of acres of California coastline for development. Arthur’s exhibit seeks to bring attention this critical environmental issue, educating students and the public about nature, culture and power.
The project received funding from the Center for Community-Based Learning, AHVA, Moore Zoology Lab, CSP programming, Remsen Bird funds and Dr. Loren G. Lipson.