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June 2008
Virginia Campus Exhibition Showcases Urbanization’s Perils and Possibilities
By Julia Parmley A collection of 23 photographs depicting the clash between urbanization and preservation in Loudoun County, Va., is on display at GW’s Virginia Campus through Aug. 28. Titled “Rural Culture on the Edge,” the exhibition by regional artist Jim Hanna illustrates Loudoun County’s struggle to maintain its rural culture and heritage while facing the fastest urban development in the nation. Each photograph is accompanied by a description of its historic, geographic, and environmental context. The exhibition is the first of four to be hosted by the campus in partnership with Gallery 222 of the Loudoun Academy of the Arts Foundation. Several photographs depict construction work, housing developments encroaching on farmland, and ecological damage caused by rapid urbanization. A photo titled “6 a.m. Monday Morning, Route 9 at Route 287” captures some of the approximately 17,000 vehicles that move through the county and over the Blue Ridge Mountains every morning and evening at rush hour. These photographs are juxtaposed in clusters against photographs of buildings and land preserved by the county’s Heritage Preservation Plan and booming industries, including renovated farms, wineries, and bed and breakfasts. Director of Virginia Campus Corporate and Community Relations Joan Ziemba says the exhibition illustrates the balance needed between development and preservation. “The rapid disappearance of farmland and open space has become a huge debate in the county,” says Ziemba. “Loudoun is a microcosm of what’s occurring across the nation as large metropolitan areas expand further and further into the rural countryside.” Hanna, who lives in western Loudoun County, began his photography business in 2006 following a 27-year career with the World Bank. His work has been exhibited in many juried shows and is on display at Dulles Airport. Approximately 100 people attended the exhibit’s opening on May 8, and more than 40 GW staff members attended a Colonial Community Coffee on May 22 to hear Hanna and Executive Director of Gallery 222 Gale Waldron discuss the exhibit and plans for the regional artist series at the campus. “One of my aims is to make people stop and appreciate the natural and cultural beauty of the area,” says Hanna. “I also want to show how the area is transitioning as a ‘culture on the edge’ and that solutions exist. People don’t have time to pause and record what they are seeing, so photography can stop a moment in time for them.” Ziemba says this exhibit informs the GW and greater community about the problems facing the county and region, while showcasing the beauty and conservation opportunities that remain. “Anyone who sees the exhibit can see what a beautiful place Loudoun is—how some areas have been lost but others have been thoughtfully and strategically maintained to preserve the county’s heritage,” she says.
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