PROJECTS - 2018
Greater Chaco Art Zines
Land Arts of the American West worked with visiting artist Asha Canalos, in partnership with the Greater Chaco Coalition, to investigate oil and gas drilling and the impact of fracking on communities in San Juan, Rio Arriba, and Sandoval Counties, New Mexico. LAAW then produced a series of art zines to be freely distributed to threatened communities and at regional festivals, conferences, and exhibitions.
During this process, LAAW artists base-camped out of the BLM Angel Peak Campground in the midst of one of the largest natural gas fields in the United States. From there, we visited Chaco Canyon National Monument and then ventured out on the “Fracking Is Fracking Reality Tour,” led by local Diné activist and Navajo Nation Council Delegate, Daniel Tso. After this, LAAW held a roundtable discussion with Counselor Chapter House President Samuel Sage, Tewa Women United - Environmental Justice Coordinator Beata Tsosie-Peña, Diné Care Board Member Mario Atencio, and Daniel Tso to hear their concerns about oil and gas development and answer questions about protocol and content for the art zines. The conversations generated from this roundtable, along with the tour and embedded experiences at camp, were the conceptual and physical foundations for the creation of these zines.
Three art zines were created on-site at the Angel Peak base-camp over the course of 48 hours. As witness to the racial violence and environmental/health impacts of fracking on local communities, each zine attempts to articulate this madness and amplify the issues at stake.
Participating Student Artists
Sarah Canelas
Brionna Garcia
Erin Gould
Xena Gurule
Kyle Holub
nicholas b. jacobsen
Blaise Koller
Rowan Willow
Jessica Zeglin
Participating Partners, Artist and Community Guides
Greater Chaco Coalition
Asha Canalos
Beata Tsosie-Peña
Daniel Tso
Mario Atencio
Samuel Sage
Research and engagement
LAAW meet with Diné activist and Navajo Nation Council Delegate Daniel Tso and Counselor Chapter House President Samuel Sage to take notes and hear stories of the detrimental effects of fracking on the community and land in the checkerboard region of the Four Corners.
Daniel Tso leads LAAW on the "Fracking Is Fracking Reality Tour."
LAAW meets with members of the Greater Chaco Coalition at the Counselor Chapter House.
Process and Production
Under the guidance of artist and activist Asha Canalos, students start processing and developing their ideas into informative zines that reflect their experience of the four corners.
Within a period of 48 hours, students, faculty, and guest artist collaboratively produce three zines on-site in Angel Peak, New Mexico.
Links to view the zines:
The Magic of This Place
In balance, Imbalance
Thank You - I Love You - I Am Sorry