COD Hosts Prairie Events with Visiting Artist Jenny Kendler Sept. 19 to 21
Interdisciplinary artist, environmental activist, naturalist and wild forager Jenny Kendler teams up with College of DuPage faculty and staff this September to present activities centered on the College's Russel R. Kirt Prairie that are focused on climate change and environmental responsibility.
All activities are free, open to the public and begin in the College 4 parking lot unless otherwise noted. The collaboration is part of the College's Visiting Artist Series, which provides opportunities for the community to interact with leaders in the fields of contemporary art, design and culture.
The three-day residency begins Tuesday, Sept. 19, with a prairie burn and dispersal of milkweed seeds from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Joined by COD faculty members Mara Baker and David Ouellette and prairie manager Remic Ensweiler, participants will see how a managed burn benefits the prairie ecosystem.
Kendler discusses her work as an environmentally engaged artist and artist-in-residence with the non-profit NRDC at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20, in the McAninch Arts Center, Room 205. Following the talk, Kendler and Ensweiler will lead a walk through the College's restored prairie areas, discussing native and non-native plants.
The residency concludes with an artwork installation in the prairie at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, as Kendler and students create a literal underground library, burying outdated books on climate change. The books are turned to biochar during a "book burning" but become functional again, sequestering carbon and enriching the prairie's soil for decades to come. Students will assist in siting and burying the books, then scattering seeds to regenerate the prairie.
Kendler's visit is the first in the Visiting Artist Series. Events are free and open to the public. Future events include a lectures by graphic designer Renata Graw, Oct. 18; interdisciplinary artists Alison Ruttan, Nov. 14; builder Faheem Majeed, Feb. 13; sculptor and writer Marissa Lee Benedict, March 22; and art historian Giovanni Aloi, April 18.
Click here for more information on the Visiting Artists Series. For more information, call (630) 942-2321.