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The Kala Art Institute is extremely honored to welcome Helen Mayer Harrison and Newton Harrison to the Kala Gallery with a major exhibition of their work titled Green House Britain. For nearly forty years, the collaborative team of Newton and Helen Mayer Harrison has been internationally respected as visionary pioneers of the eco-art movement. Often referred to simply as “The Harrisons”, the pair has worked closely with biologists, ecologists, architects and urban planners to explore ideas and solutions that support both biodiversity and community development. The Harrison's expansive practice embraces a range of disciplines that often casts them in the roles of historians, diplomats, ecologists, investigators, emissaries and art activists. Presented in an art-viewing context, The Harrisons’ works features extensive mapping, text panels, models, digital animations and audio-visual presentations. Far from dryly didactic, their impassioned works serve as both a meditation on global ecology and also as a futuristic vision for environmental change and recovery. The Harrisons’ previous projects have focused on watershed restoration, urban renewal, agriculture and forestry issues among others. Global warming has been a central concern in their work since 1974, placing the team years ahead of the curve regarding environmental issues. Their boldly visionary projects have often led to changes in governmental policy and have expanded dialogue around previously unexplored issues leading to practical implementations throughout the United States and Europe.
