In the Gallery, Rethinking Turf: Seeing the Invisible Through Illustrations-Genevieve Hitchings

About this event

Focusing on several carefully selected species of fauna native to the North American Mid-Atlantic region, "Rethinking Turf: Seeing the Invisible through Illustration" is a series of illustrated prints designed to advocate for more sustainable and pollinator-friendly land management practices, and to challenge notions of beauty in our natural urban and suburban landscape. Invertebrates can be difficult for people to relate to and tend to draw unfavorable reactions. By showing these creatures up close through drawings and providing details about their vital role in supporting and sustaining ecosystems, viewers are challenged to rethink their misconceptions of these species as nuisances. We are surrounded by a natural world that depends on community support. Minor adjustments in how we treat our urban and suburban environments not only improve threatened insect and wildlife populations’ chances to survive, but more broadly improve the prospects for people to lead healthier lives. The series consists of 33 prints detailing the anatomies, life cycles, and specialized characteristics of a set of invertebrates (insects and spiders) native to Westchester County. The prints provide context with factual details about supportive land management practices. Designed to work collectively, they tell a non-linear story highlighting the less visible lifeforms that should exist in harmony on a healthy plot of land. M. Genevieve Hitchings is faculty in the department of Communication Design, a BFA program at New York City College of Technology, (CUNY) where she teaches graphic design. She is principal designer of ARTORIUM, a design studio producing projects that concentrate on information design and illustration. She considers her work a form of art journalism, communicating the essentials of complex information quickly, clearly, and appealingly as a narrative. Genevieve has worked as a contract artist at several research institutions including New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the American Museum of Natural History’s Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, and Mass Audubon. As her involvement in environmental and conservation efforts has grown, so has her interest in communicating these initiatives. Her growing body of work has been featured in several exhibitions, including the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators (GNSI) 50th Anniversary Juried Exhibition, and displayed at the Art Gallery of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C., and the New York State Museum’s Focus On Nature, XV biennial exhibition of scientific, natural and cultural history. The Roberson Museum and Science Center in Binghamton, NY has accessioned her work as part of their permanent collection.