Venice, CA – On August 3, 2010, The G2 Gallery will present Great Plains: Michael Forsberg, a photographic journey through 1,000,000 square miles of land, sky, and the wildlife in between. The quiet beauty of Michael Forsberg’s unprecedented Great Plains photo project offers images with a clear perspective of both the environmental degradation and the tenacity of the “lingering wild” of this essential ecosystem.
The G2 Gallery will donate all proceeds from this exhibit to the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Northern Great Plains restoration campaign. The WWF's vision for the region is to establish a healthy and well-managed landscape that conserves all native species through a combination of conservation areas and ecologically sustainable agriculture.
Writer and photographer Michael Forsberg has documented all three Great Plains regions—Northern Plains, Southern Plains, and Tallgrass Prairies—that support 453 different kinds of species. The intent behind the Great Plains series is to introduce the rest of the nation to the subtle beauty of a place that is often dismissed as a dull monoculture. With his images and text Michael dispels that pervasive myth, explaining:
“The Great Plains is a region of intense contrasts shaped by wind, fire, storms and extremes of heat and cold. Today, the spirit of these Great Plains remains firmly intact but its wildness is only a shadow of its former self, forever altered by man, first by westward expansion, then later by agricultural production and development. The overriding goal of my work is to photograph and build appreciation for what is left of the wild Great Plains, trying to capture on film the fierce spirit and the unique, often overlooked beauty of the creatures and landscapes that still make up these wide-open spaces.”
In truth, man’s impact on the Plains’ lengthy expanse has compromised this once thriving ecosystem, but as the Great Plains series shows, there is hope for the future of the nation’s center.
The images from the exhibition are based on Michael’s book Great Plains: America’s Lingering Wild. Great Plains: Michael Forsberg will run through September 12, 2010. The opening reception will be held Saturday, August 7, at 6:30 p.m. On Sunday, August 8, at 2:30 p.m., Michael will give a talk on the Great Plains photo project. Great Plains is a traveling exhibit and has appeared at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, Nebraska.
About Michael Forsberg
Photographer Michael Forsberg’s work focuses on the terrain of his native Nebraska, extending out into the vast Great Plains region. After receiving a degree in geography with an emphasis in environmental studies from the University of Nebraska, Mike worked for six years at NEBRASKAland Magazine, the state’s conservation publication, where he got his start as a staff photographer and writer. Six years later, he opened his own gallery and photography business. To date, Mike’s work has appeared in numerous venues including Audubon, National Geographic, and Natural History. He has published two books that have resulted in traveling exhibitions: On Ancient Wings—The Sandhill Cranes of North America and Great Plains—America’s Lingering Wild. Michael Forsberg, his wife Patty, and their two daughters are based in Lincoln, Nebraska.
About World Wildlife Fund
For more than 45 years, World Wildlife Fund has been protecting the future of nature. The world’s leading conservation organization, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by 1.2 million members in the United States and close to 5 million globally. WWF's unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature.
