To: MonValley Clean Air Coalition,

Join the growing regional conversation around the proposed expansion of the petrochemical industry in southwest Pennsylvania at an art exhibition about the petrochemical’s impact on the environment and people’s health. This exhibition was inspired by the book Petrochemical America by Richard Misrach and Kate Orff, which tells the story of the environmental degradation of the Louisiana landscape and the people who live there. This exhibit will feature work designed to relate to the growing web of fossil-fuel infrastructure in southwest Pennsylvania, including drawings from Petrochemical America, photography from the Marcellus Shale Documentary Project, audio recorded by Public Herald, and a selection of documentary films.

This show is curated by Sophie Riedel in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab, Clean Air Council, Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community, PennFuture and the Air Quality Collaborative. Schedule of events: Opening Reception with Wilma Subra: September 27 – 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Regional Visioning Session: Elected officials and the public are invited to a conversation to envision a healthier economic future for our region. October 4 – 3:30 to 6:00 p.m.

Closing Reception with Gena Wirth of SCAPE Studio: October 7 – 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Location: SPACE, downtown Pittsburgh, 812 Liberty Ave

RSVP: Reservations for the evening speakers are required through Eventbrite. Admission is free.

Click Here!

Documentary Film Screenings:

Documentary films will be screened on a rotation throughout the event, with the exception of a Special Screening for each film noted in the list below. The films tell the stories of citizens and communities across the U.S. and Canada impacted by the petrochemical industry.

TRIPLE DIVIDE (REDACTED) Pittsburgh Premiere Directors: Joshua Pribanic and Melissa Troutman Distributor: Bullfrog Films (2017) Length: 52 minutes Special Screening: Thursday, September 28, 5 p.m.

FENCELINE: A COMPANY TOWN DIVIDED Directors: Slawomir Grünberg Distributor: Filmmakers Library (2002) Length: 53 minutes Special Screening: Saturday, September 30, 5 p.m.

LIVING DOWNSTREAM Directed by: Chanda Chevannes Distributed by: First Run Features (2010) Length: 55 minutes Special Screening: Sunday, October 1, 4 p.m.

CANADA’S TOXIC CHEMICAL VALLEY Director: Patrick McGuire Distributor: Vice (2013) Length: 31 minutes Special Screening: Thursday, October 5, 5 p.m.

ADDICTED TO PLASTIC Director: Ian Connacher Distributor: Bullfrog Films (2008) Length: 53 minutes Special Screening: Friday, October 6, 5 p.m.

Photo credit: From Pipe to Plastic Bag, Petrochemical America by Richard Misrach and Kate Orff.

More details on Facebook @PetrochemicalAmerica

Clean Air Council, CREATE Lab, Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community, PennFuture and Air Quality Collaborative gratefully acknowledge Aperture Foundation books and exhibitions departments and SCAPE for the rights to reprint the work.