Beth Lemerand, “Ecosystems of Communities”
Mentor: Jessica Meuninck-Ganger, Art & Design
Poster #117

Jessica Meuninck-Ganger and her research assistant Beth Lemerand are investigating community-based art and science learning and action to foster environmental stewardship and collective healing through Printmaking and Papermaking techniques. An NSF funded “WaterMarks” project explores current water-related environmental challenges through art and science collaborations. The “Aesthetics of Loss” curatorial project, including Meuninck-Ganger’s studio practice, engages in discussion and connection over shared grieving practices and care rituals. Through the “WaterMarks” NSF funded grant, Meuninck-Ganger works with colleagues at UWM, community partners, artists, and scientists to facilitate discussions, activities, and presentations through the arts and sciences. Creative activities help connect Milwaukee neighbors by fostering opportunities to tell water stories and share water-related concerns. In addition to this community work, the team has been working on the “Aesthetics of Loss” curatorial project which grew out of three artists’ studios and their conversations about using art to the depths of grief to capture the essence of life. The artist collective continues to grow and now includes nine artists from across the nation. Meuninck-Ganger and Lemerand have worked with the team of artists to install in Chicago, Madison and St.Paul, resulting in exhibitions that provide a space for collective healing and discussions around care, ritual, and grief. Both projects include artist/scientist/community member-led activities, which are designed to engage multi-generational participants in considering the conditions, characteristics, histories, and ecosystems of communities. WaterMarks activities include exploring current water-related environmental challenges and proposing solutions. The “Aesthetics of Loss” and Meuninck-Ganger’s studio practice engage in discussion and connection over shared grieving practices and care rituals. WaterMarks and “Aesthetics of Loss” offer experiences that draw on diverse perspectives, including lived experience, scientific knowledge, and policy expertise.