ADRIANA LOPEZ-OSPINA
Creative Corps Inland SoCal Grant
The Walter N. Marks Center for the Arts is proud to announce the opening of "Salt of the Earth," a compelling exhibition that delves into the pressing public health and environmental issues stemming from the Salton Sea. As the lake diminishes, it releases harmful sediments into neighboring communities, exacerbating respiratory diseases and threatening local ecosystems. The exhibition will feature a collection of community-created installations and individual artist works. The exhibition will be on display May 13-23 and the reception will take place on May 17th from 4-6pm at the Marks Art Center, 43500 Monterey Ave, Palm Desert CA 92260.
"Salt of the Earth" emerges from the
Text & Textiles initiative by Lopez-Ospina, a year-long project supported by the California Arts Council through the Creative Corps Inland SoCal Grant. This initiative empowered participants to express their experiences through fiber and writing, fostering awareness and dialogue surrounding environmental challenges.
About the Artists
The exhibition showcases artists deeply connected to the region.
Participating artists include:
To learn more about the artists and their work click on their name.
Catalog of Artworks
& Price Sheet
More about Text & Textiles
Text & Textile was a year long workshop series that explored the intersection of text and textiles to address public health and environmental issues through visual and literary creative means. The "Salt of the Earth" exhibition will showcase the works and writings created by participants.
The use of fiber and writing operated as a way to talk about and express our interconnectedness. Fiber is defined as “a thread or filament from which a vegetable, mineral substance, or textile is formed” but also as “strength of character.” Fibers intertwine to create all forms of materials and in a way we can define people as forms of fiber that are connected and affected by its environment.
Salton Sea Lungs, 5' x 5'
Wool, steel wire & pvc pipes
Salton Sea Lungs is a collaborative installation created by the senior communities of Mecca, Thermal and North Shore. Each community wove their own pair of lungs that were then placed outside at the Salton Sea Beach and Yacht Club to act as filters and collect the corse particulate matter that is known to cause various types of respiratory diseases. The lungs will be part of the exhibit along with a clean pair of lungs that were kept indoors for a before and after comparison.