For The Future Installation by Julia Way May 1 – May 24, 2021
The history of Earth Day is deeply entwined with the practice of activism. From the first Environmental Teach-In on April 22, 1970 to the more recent Global Climate Strike, from Indigenous communities on the frontlines of resource extraction to those fighting everyday for climate justice, concerned people have been expressing their voices… often in words on hand-made signs. These hand-made signs inspire the messages on the flags of For The Future and the flags stand in solidarity with the people who are fighting for an environmentally just future.
About the Installation:
In April 2020, Julia installed a preview of her For the Future installation in High School Park on Earth Day when the pandemic delayed its intended display in Ecotactical: Earth Day at 50 at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. From September 2020 to January 2021 all 50 flags were installed along the trails at the Schuylkill Center. This year in High School Park, Julia will explore how the messages of For The Future have evolved in our current context.
About the Artist:
Julia Way (Elkins Park resident and Friends of High School Park board member) is a video, watercolor, and installation artist who recently earned an MFA at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. She earned an M.Ed in Art Education from Tyler School of Art and has taught both adult and secondary students at community art centers as well as public schools. In 2018 she was Artist-in-Residence at the Cheltenham Center for the Arts. Julia is a Signature Member of the Philadelphia Watercolor Society.