Beautiful, damaged, and gone, the exhibition of Bremner Benedict’s work shows the remaining arid land springs in the American Southwest. The project is a blend of art and science animating a narrative of desert springs that speaks to water scarcity in the west – both what it is today and what it might become.

Springs have been essential to human survival since the beginning of our existence. Historically, paleo-indigenous people traversed the deserts walking from spring to spring. Early Spanish explorers and later European pioneers relied on many of the same springs, often settling where water was reliable. Water has been central to the beliefs and practices of American indigenous cultures, and to this day, several western tribes perform private ceremonies at springs they consider sacred. Today, for many except those who live without running water or those who want to bottle and sell it, springs are unseen or under-recognized.

In her artist talk on January 22nd, Bremner Benedict will talk about deserts in the west, about how she came to be interested in deserts, and how as an artist and a non-scientist she makes images to address climate change.