Life in Motion, Winter 2024

In this compelling body of work, artist Lisa Nankivil embarks on a journey inspired by chance encounters during her travels. Her keen observation of the unfamiliar ignites a deep sense of inquiry, giving rise to new work that vividly translates her experiences. Venturing into the captivating landscapes east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, she immerses herself in the visual potency of places like Death Valley, the Mojave Desert, and Joshua Tree. Amidst the breathtaking natural beauty of these regions, she considers the environmental damage wrought by human activities such as mining, tourism, and abandonment. Yet, within these landscapes, she discovers resilient communities of long-term residents alongside a growing influx of newcomers—change-makers, artists, and adventurers seeking change.

Embracing the agility of her iPhone and iPad as essential tools for working on the road, Nankivil meticulously crafts archival pigment prints to preserve the stories of these landscapes and their unlikely icons before they succumb to the relentless march of nature or human-induced destruction. With a steadfast commitment to authenticity, she refrains from changing or moving anything in the original photographs, instead allowing their inherent stories to shine through her interpretation of the emotional timbre of the place. This process involves a nuanced layering of techniques, beginning with desaturation to strip away color and reveal the essence of each scene in grayscale. From this foundation, she deliberately reintroduces color, drawing inspiration from the dynamic interplay between human intervention and the natural environment.