2008 Alaska Park Science Symposium
October 14, 2008
Visions, Impressions, and Interpretations: The Denali National Park Artist-in-Residence Programs History and Exploration of the Connection between Art and Science
Annie Duffy1
1Alaska Geographic, 208 7th Ave., Fairbanks, AK, 99701, USA, Phone 907 474-8133, aduffy@alaskageographic.org
As often noted, artists have had a major impact on the creation and development of America's national parks since the beginning of the national park movement (1). Similar to Thomas Moran’s contribution to the creation of America’s first national park, the painter Belmore Browne was a strong advocate for the establishment of Mt. McKinley National Park, now known as Denali National Park, in 1917. Over the years many artists have supported the park and worked within its landscape to create powerful works that have merit not only as beautiful objects but also as important tools for interpreting the park and the wilderness of the region.
In 2001 Denali National Park renewed its commitment to the arts and asked Kesler Woodward to serve as the park’s first official artist-in-residence. Woodward was asked to not only spend time working at the East Fork cabin and donate a piece of art to the park’s collection, but also to establish a long term residency program that would have artists returning to the park every summer in an effort to share the beauty of the park in a more formal manner but also to contribute to the park’s educational and outreach efforts.
Since 2001 the program has grown to allow up to 4 artists 10-day stays in the park during the summer season. In 2007 the program received 66 application submissions from across the U.S. for the upcoming 2008 season, a number that is especially important to note since artists-in-residence do not receive a stipend or any travel assistance. Ron Senungetuk, a renowned Alaska Native sculptor and wood carver, will also join the program during the 2008 season and become Denali National Park’s first Alaska Native artist-in-residence.
Recently the artist-in-residence program has been examining the connection between art and science and how artists have played a role in the scientific work being conducted within the park and how this connection can be further developed in the future.
1. From the Denali National Park web site .
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