Land Arts of the American West artists 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. The artists then produced a series of art zines to be freely distributed to threatened communities and at regional festivals, conferences, and exhibitions.
During this process, the 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, they 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, the artists 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 experiential foundations for the creation of these art 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.
Art Zine Titles:
In Balance / Imbalance
Thank You, I Love You, I Am Sorry
The Magic of This Place
LAAW Artists:
Asha Canalos
Blaise Koller
Brionna Garcia
Erin Gould
Jeanette Hart-Mann
Jessica Zeglin
Kyle Holub
nicholas b. jacobsen
Rowan Willow
Ryan Henel
Sarah Canelas
Xena Gurule
Partners and collaborators for this project include:
Land Arts of the American West
Greater Chaco Coalition
Asha Canalos
Beata Tsosie-Peña
Daniel Tso
Mario Atencio
Samuel Sage
This project was made possible through a partnership between Land Arts of the American West, indigenous communities, and the Greater Chaco Coalition. For more information and to learn how you can help efforts already underway, please visit the Greater Chaco Coalition @ frackoffchaco.org
