paraMuseum: Environmental Exigencies
Charles Mary Kubricht
Photographs on canvas
Raymond and Susan Brochstein Pavilion
Capital Building Fund Site Specific Commission
The four oak leaves represented in these photographs depict specimens from four different indigenous oak varieties on the Rice University campus. Printed on canvas, the photographs are coated with a unique, eco-friendly sealant that protects them from UV radiation and other environmental factors without the need for a physical covering. The pieces reflect Kubricht's perception of natural landscapes as “museums,” places and objects worthy of preservation. In fact, the artist thinks of the Rice campus as a "Tree Museum" as a whole. These monumental photographs, as a result, reflect Kubricht's interest in how humans create and measure experience, and how we relate to the fate of our natural environment.