Curator David J. Wagner doesn’t mention the term directly,but it becomes apparent, just moments into his conversation with Wildlife Art Journal magazine, that he has existence value on his mind.
For years, Wagner had designs on putting together a show that features marine life from the perspective of a scuba diver. "Art of the Dive: Portraits of the Deep" is the result of his curation and if you're anywhere near the three venues where it's appearing—Dania Beach, Florida now ; then Corpus Christi early in 2012 and Denver in summer 2012—it's well worth the pilgrimage.
Would people care if wild polar bears went extinct; would they bat an eyelash if the only pandas and mountain gorillas left on the planet came to reside behind bars?
More specifically to the topic at hand, how might future generations respond if the last of the great whales, or coral reefs or animals like narwhals and mantees lived on—but only in literature, photographs and other forms of fine art?
Wagner has enlisted a distinguished group of artists to make the question seem viscerally real for the public to contemplate. They include Ullberg, the late Stanley Meltzoff, Al Barnes, Ian Coleman, Jean-Louis Courteau, Guy Harvey, Don Ray, George Schelling, M.J. Brush, Diane Peebles, Randall Scott, miniaturists Wes and Rachelle Siegrist, Mark Susinno, Fred Thomas, Ronnie Williford, and urban muralist Wyland. Marine sculptors include Charles Allmond, Renee Bemis, Randy Puckett, and John Kobald.
When the autumn issue of Wildlife Art Journal magazine goes live this week, enjoy our special look at at Art of the Dive: Portraits of the Deep and a selected gallery of works.
Art of the Dive: Portraits of the Deep Venues:
International Game Fish Association
Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum
Dania Beach, Florida
NOW Through November 2011
Art Museum of South Texas
Corpus Christi, Texas
January 14—March 11, 2012
The Wildlife Experience
Parker, Colorado (Denver)
March 24-July 15, 2012
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