“Verde green” exhibition opens Nov. 3

“Verde  green,” an installation by University of Iowa art professor Isabel Barbuzza, will be exhibited at the Peter Paul Luce Gallery at Cornell College from  Nov. 3 through Dec. 1.

An opening reception will be held Sunday, Nov. 3 from 2 to 4 p.m. in McWethy Hall. Barbuzza will give a gallery talk at 3 p.m. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday 2 to 4 p.m.

Barbuzza has been researching the salt flats in her native Argentina, as well as Chile and Bolivia for some time. Her interest in the salt flats in South America originated from her interest in the landscape and salt, as both are layered with history and power. “More people now recycle, ‘go organic,’ grow gardens, and understand the connection between saving money, improving health, and helping the environment. Hybrid cars are more affordable and used by many.”

In her statement on the installation she explains, “The landscape and environment in lithium-rich areas are, and will be continually damaged, as we look for sustainable fossil-fuel alternatives, such as the electric car propelled by lithium charged batteries. Some refer to Bolivia as the new Saudi Arabia since Salar de Uyuni has roughly half of the world’s lithium. According to environmental groups, lithium extraction is not a sustainable process and will produce irreparable damage to the environment and completely shift the landscape of the salt desert.”

In “Verde   green,” Barbuzza explores, through installation and collage, the fundamental contradictions of mainstream discourse on sustainable power as it translates to the environment in South American countries.

Peter Paul Luce Gallery programming is funded through the Henry Luce Foundation, Inc. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information contact Sue Coleman or call (319) 895-4491.