Open Forum

Facing the Inferno, The Wildfire Photography of Kari Greer

Wildfire flames and smoke are directly affecting larger populations and having national impact. The effects of global warming are increasing all of this even more. Nationally, the fire season now extends almost year-round. This exhibit has been curated to grab audience attention immediately, then hold it through the power of the images and the importance of the accompanying information. Facing the inferno is the ideal bridge for conversations between the arts & humanities and the sciences.

THE UI PRICHARD ART GALLERY presents the first thorough exhibition of Kari Greer's photographs. Greer is a photographer for the national Interagency Fire Center, assigned to major fires across the West. She is at the front lines step-for-step with the fire crews, as well as having access to aerial operations, going places no other photographer can. 

In 2015 and again in 2018, more than 10 million acres burned in the U.S. The increasing length and severity of fire seasons makes this project timely and important. Scientists comprehend what it means to live in a fire environment, including when to suppress, contain or let fires burn. The goal of this project is to help propel greater public conversation and understanding of this volatile dynamic.

Additional information and prospectus are available at: www.prichardart.org/wildfire

Roger H.D. Rowley, Director