The Restoration of the Emscher River: a Photographic Documentation
Class
Article
Department
Art
Faculty Mentor
Chris Terry
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
In this study art students spent a week in Germany's Ruhrgebiet documenting the restoration of the Emscher River, one of Europe's biggest re-naturalization projects. A system of open waste water sewers (built in the 1800's) with a total length of more than 400 km, is currently being replaced with an underground system in order to develop a near-natural lowland river system. The goal was to create a documentation of the project, in photographic images, that tells the story of the reinvention of this once industrial powerhouse. Students met and spoke with ecologists and engineers about the history, importance, and goals of this project. They visited multiple sites along the river from Dortmund to Dinslaken with photographer Chris Dunker, who taught how to convey information through photography. Students trekked through parts of the river that have been restored to a natural environment, parts that are in the process of being restored, and parts that still, after 100 years operate under the open sewage system. Waterways were explored to find angles and points of view that would capture in a single picture multiple features that pieced together the reinvention of this landscape. This project was funded by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, and the Study Abroad Office.
Start Date
4-9-2015 1:30 PM
The Restoration of the Emscher River: a Photographic Documentation
In this study art students spent a week in Germany's Ruhrgebiet documenting the restoration of the Emscher River, one of Europe's biggest re-naturalization projects. A system of open waste water sewers (built in the 1800's) with a total length of more than 400 km, is currently being replaced with an underground system in order to develop a near-natural lowland river system. The goal was to create a documentation of the project, in photographic images, that tells the story of the reinvention of this once industrial powerhouse. Students met and spoke with ecologists and engineers about the history, importance, and goals of this project. They visited multiple sites along the river from Dortmund to Dinslaken with photographer Chris Dunker, who taught how to convey information through photography. Students trekked through parts of the river that have been restored to a natural environment, parts that are in the process of being restored, and parts that still, after 100 years operate under the open sewage system. Waterways were explored to find angles and points of view that would capture in a single picture multiple features that pieced together the reinvention of this landscape. This project was funded by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, and the Study Abroad Office.