EXHIBITION: Rethinking Turf
Invertebrates Inhabiting the North American Mid-Atlantic Region
When
Sunday, April 5 to Friday, May 1, 2026
- Reception: Saturday, April 11, from 3—5 PM
- Artist Talk: Monday, April 27, from 4—6 PM
Where
Harrison Public Library
2 Bruce Avenue, Harrison NY 10528
About the Exhibition
Focusing on selected species of fauna native to the North American Mid-Atlantic region, Rethinking Turf: Seeing the Invisible through Illustration is a series of illustrations exploring notions of beauty in our natural urban and suburban landscapes.
Selected prints from exhibition
Support for this project was provided by a PSC-CUNY Award, jointly funded by The Professional Staff Congress and The City University of New York.
Invertebrates can be difficult for people to relate to, and tend to draw unfavorable reactions. By showing these creatures up close through drawings and providing details about their vital role in supporting and sustaining ecosystems, viewers are challenged to rethink their misconceptions of these species as nuisances. We are surrounded by a natural world that depends on community support. Minor adjustments in how we treat our urban and suburban environments not only improve threatened insect and wildlife populations’ chances to survive, but more broadly improve the prospects for people to lead healthier lives.
The series consists of drawings and info-graphics detailing the anatomies, life cycles, and specialized characteristics of a set of invertebrates (insects and spiders) native to the North American Mid-Atlantic Region. The prints provide context with factual details about supportive land management practices instead of current destructive ones. Designed to work collectively, they tell a non-linear story highlighting the less visible lifeforms that should exist in harmony on a healthy plot of land. This body of work attempts to highlight the complexity, sophistication, and importance of these ‘invisible’ creatures.
Interested in this Collection?
Contact: info@artorium.com
Designed as a touring exhibition, the series consists of 22, 13×19” (also sized for 20 x 30”) prints that provide context for how even small, fragmented patches of vegetation in urban and suburban areas work together with other gardens throughout the New York Tri-State area, and beyond as a single organism, keeping natural resources free of dangerous chemicals and providing habitat for essential wildlife such as migratory birds and beneficial insects.
Rethinking Turf: Seeing the Invisible through Illustration is intended to educate, create awareness and encourage more biodiverse, and sustainable gardening practices.