The latest alumni artist installation has been put up in the Becker Gallery! “Landscape in Transition,” featuring the photography of Andrew Beers (’15), can be found in the lower level of the library, next to the stairs. It will be featured throughout spring semester, with the artist reception taking place on February 7th, 5pm-6:30pm. Andrew’s artist statement can be found below, sharing more information about the pieces.

“Landscape in Transition” Artist Statement:

Licking County is the site of a new Intel chip fabrication plant. The construction of this factory is the single largest economic investment in Ohio’s history. In 2022, President Biden spoke in New Albany, Ohio while excavation vehicles broke ground behind him. Hundreds of other corporations are buying parcels of land in preparation for the impending boom of technology-focused manufacturing in Central Ohio. The landscape in Licking County, and beyond, will continue to be altered until it is unrecognizable. 

As a teacher at Johnstown High School, I’m experiencing these changes firsthand. I see excitement, and I see apprehension. Homes have been razed, concrete is everywhere, and large rectangles dominate a new, orderly horizon. There is a longing in part of my work to preserve the space as it’s looked for generations, but these new shapes breaking the ground do strike a visually alluring contrast to the shrinking fields and woods. I see that contrast often as I walk and drive through the area. In order to both document the change before me and preserve the area for the sake of memory, curiosity, and posterity, I photograph the landscape as it transitions physically, socially, and politically

Intel and others have promised an economic windfall for the area, and that the shift from agriculture to technology will benefit the entire nation. The only guarantee, however, is change.