Untitled

Alison Moritsugu (American, b. 1962)
2009
MediumPainted log
Dimensions5 × 6 × 14 1/2 inches
CreditGift of the artist, 2009
Accession Number2009.05

Using sections of naturally fallen trees as a canvas, Alison Moritsugu lures us into idyllic landscapes devised from her study of Hudson River School paintings, which she says “were deeply rooted in the political constructs of the time and depicted the land as a bountiful Eden, a limitless frontier ripe for conquest.” The natural cracks that disrupt her images draw our attention to the log itself. Moritsugu wants to ensure that “any sense of nostalgia or celebration of nature is countered by the evidence of its destruction,” reminding us that the wilderness we take for granted needs our advocacy.

Exhibition History