JACKSON, Wyo. — This year’s high school student-curated exhibition, Succession, is open to the public at the National Museum of Wildlife Art (NMWA) in the Wapiti Gallery through Sunday, Feb. 18.
The exhibit is presented by students at Jackson Hole High School (JHHS) in collaboration with students from Maui Prep (many formerly at Lahainaluna High School) impacted by the August, 2023 historic wildfire in Lahaina, HI. The culminating artwork is the collective vision from 65 Maui Prep students and 60 Jackson students, and curated by four JHHS students.
According to the NMWA, Succession features ceramics, drawings, paintings and mixed-media artworks inspired by poems from students in Lahaina. The students in Hawaii sent JHHS students their poetry and art, which informed the resulting artwork. The art exhibit explores the emotions of loss, growth, change and ultimately regeneration, per the NMWA press release.
The NMWA described the title, “Succession,” as referring to “the ecological process in which species and habitat changes over time–until a disturbance, like a fire, occurs. When a new patch of land is exposed for the first time, life must start from scratch. Over time, life will thrive again.”
Student curators Lukiah Jaeger, Roxy Martinez, Maggie Hofmann and Elizabeth Prince explained via press release, “The destruction of communities and the environment is nothing short of tragic. When disaster strikes, whether on an emotional, physical or ecological scale, in the moment, there is little hope to be found. But with time, aid and a change of perspective, loss can be the beginning of something better. Through this exhibit, we show what we can gain from loss in connection with the poems written by students in Lahaina, Hawaii who recently faced the destruction of their community.”
NMWA’s student-curated exhibitions examine the connection, appreciation and concern for nature and wildlife.
