Jenna North
Storyteller-EcoArtist-Videographer
Jenna North is a Washington D.C. based interdisciplinary artist, professor and curator who considers the vast majority of her work to function as social aesthetics. Her work is driven by a deep concern for environmental justice, specifically concerning water, both in the form of contamination, and climate change induced sea level rise. She often collaborates with a wide range of scientists, designers and artists for public projects and her own studio practice. North's work currently toggles between functional eco-art, painting, photography, multimedia installation, and performance as both her hydrofracking obsessed Post-Apacolyptic Interior Decorator alter ego, Wendy Well, and a Senators wife from Kansas, Joan Dare. North is currently in the final stages of producing "Well Wendy Well", a hybrid documentary. She's also working on a full feature film about Joan Dare that will be more character driven.
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Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is the process of taking millions of gallons of water, mixing it with tens of thousands of gallons of chemicals, silica sand and pumping the mixture underground at extreme pressure to break up rock formations and release oil or natural gas. Prior to leaving San Francisco to move to central New York I was unaware of hydrofracking, and was rashly introduced to the concept by the looming black and red yard signs, neighborhood banners and bumper stickers. As a qualitatively naive standpoint of an onlooker, my own curiosity was one of the factors that led to the possession of Wendy Well, my fracking obsessed Post-Apocalyptic Interior Decorator alter ego.
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Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is the process of taking millions of gallons of water, mixing it with tens of thousands of gallons of chemicals, silica sand and pumping the mixture underground at extreme pressure to break up rock formations and release oil or natural gas. Prior to leaving San Francisco to move to central New York I was unaware of hydrofracking, and was rashly introduced to the concept by the looming black and red yard signs, neighborhood banners and bumper stickers. As a qualitatively naive standpoint of an onlooker, my own curiosity was one of the factors that led to the possession of Wendy Well, my fracking obsessed Post-Apocalyptic Interior Decorator alter ego.
Fracking as a Feminist Issue
If nature could tweet #metoo, it would. Of the countless ways our human industry invades, disrupts, and assaults the Earth, the act of fracking is the most akin to rape. One night while browsing for fracking equipment, I came across these alien pink drill-bit heads. The bits were painted by the oil giant Baker Hughes in the original pepto-pink color in the name of breast cancer awareness, as part of a partnership with the Susan G. Komen Foundation. It’s easy to see the hypocritical absurdity for Komen’s claim of fighting to cure breast cancer while helping the fracking industry. It is well known that the fracking industry exposes people to some of the same carcinogenic toxins known to cause breast cancer.
Pinkwashing is a term used in a couple of different controversial situations, with one being the duplicitous effort by the Israeli government to use the country’s generally positive record on LGBTQ rights to distract attention from human rights abuses in Palestine. I became introduced to the term through its use in the fracking industry. The group “Breast Cancer Action” coined the term pinkwashing as part of their Think Before You Pink® campaign. Pinkwasher: (pink’-wah-sher) noun. A company or organization that claims to care about breast cancer by promoting a pink ribbon product, but at the same time produces, manufactures and/or sells products that are linked to the disease.
Although New York successfully banned fracking, many states and countries are expanding their gas industry plays on land and in offshore waters. Pipelines to transport this dangerous “natural” gas are threats to everyone, and Washington D.C. is not immune. Although Maryland banned fracking, it is currently being faced with the decision of allowing a major gas pipeline to cross the state and the Potomac River, which jeopardizes the drinking water supply for about 6 million people, including much of the Washington metropolitan area.
If nature could tweet #metoo, it would. Of the countless ways our human industry invades, disrupts, and assaults the Earth, the act of fracking is the most akin to rape. One night while browsing for fracking equipment, I came across these alien pink drill-bit heads. The bits were painted by the oil giant Baker Hughes in the original pepto-pink color in the name of breast cancer awareness, as part of a partnership with the Susan G. Komen Foundation. It’s easy to see the hypocritical absurdity for Komen’s claim of fighting to cure breast cancer while helping the fracking industry. It is well known that the fracking industry exposes people to some of the same carcinogenic toxins known to cause breast cancer.
Pinkwashing is a term used in a couple of different controversial situations, with one being the duplicitous effort by the Israeli government to use the country’s generally positive record on LGBTQ rights to distract attention from human rights abuses in Palestine. I became introduced to the term through its use in the fracking industry. The group “Breast Cancer Action” coined the term pinkwashing as part of their Think Before You Pink® campaign. Pinkwasher: (pink’-wah-sher) noun. A company or organization that claims to care about breast cancer by promoting a pink ribbon product, but at the same time produces, manufactures and/or sells products that are linked to the disease.
Although New York successfully banned fracking, many states and countries are expanding their gas industry plays on land and in offshore waters. Pipelines to transport this dangerous “natural” gas are threats to everyone, and Washington D.C. is not immune. Although Maryland banned fracking, it is currently being faced with the decision of allowing a major gas pipeline to cross the state and the Potomac River, which jeopardizes the drinking water supply for about 6 million people, including much of the Washington metropolitan area.
I’ve had a longtime affinity for islands, and their sundry appeal. As a metaphorical fantasy of isolation, or for some, an involuntary quarantine from society due to sickness. Psychologically, it can get dark quickly when my mind ventures into future islands of illness. As a maker and painter of miniature artificial islands for eco-art, I get excited when I think about the various global approaches to designing and building actual habitable islands, the philosophy and reasoning behind the pursuit, and materials used. As a lifetime aquaphiliac, I’ve had a particular interest in Island nations that are being threatened by sea level rise, namely the Maldives, which is known for it’s white sand beaches, crystal clear waters and resorts catering to the ultra rich, while the natives fight for survival. I became aware of the country by coming across a news broadcast of an underwater cabinet meeting led by former President Nasheed. That was the most provoking performance art I had ever seen, and I wanted to join him in bringing awareness to his loss of land, country, people, and culture.
The world is on fire while going underwater, and yes, leaks in underwater gas pipelines can cause fire underwater. Additionally, I’ve been researching endangered species of animals that are endemic to threatened islands, and contemplating how the extinction of the dinosaurs may become more real to young children as we’re faced with the impending doom of the unnatural history/future of the next extinction.
Jenna North received an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in painting and new genres. Recent awards include a CNY Arts NYSCA grant for her “Submersive Gardening” project, a residency at the international residency Sculpture Space, and the National Art Gallery in Male’, Maldives where she has an ongoing project to design an ambitious rooftop mural/garden/city park to create the illusion of the ocean rising and washing over a building. She has completed residencies at the The Gatehouse in Washington D.C., the Children’s Museum in Utica, NY, Project Grant(social practice residency in Buffalo, NY), Headlands Center for the Arts in San Francisco, Montalvo, and Root Division. She has worked with the Art in Embassy program at the State Department and exhibited paintings in the US Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Recent solo shows include: "The Joan Dare Gallery" at Hilyer International Art Gallery, and "Triplets; the Enigmatic Egos" at Honfleur Gallery in Washington, D.C., Art at the Palace(Colgate University in Hamilton, NY) "Paintings, Photography and Film Screening", “Drillshaft Paddywack” at The Other Side, Utica, NY. “Submersive Gardening” at the State University of New York, Morrisville, “Showroom/Post-Apocolyptic Interior Decorating” at Mohawk Valley Community College, “Fracking Flow” at View, “Thermal Expansion” at the Red Poppy Art House, Micaela Gallery and “Dispersants” at the TransAmerica building in San Francisco, CA, Penn State University. Other recent shows include: Ruminations; Faculty Show at The Catholic University of America, WAS Gallery, Bethesda, MD, The Artist and Makers, Rockville, MD, Otis Street Arts Project, Washington, D.C., The Silent Barn, NY, NY, The Tech Garden in Syracuse, NY, Pratt Institute at Munson Williams Proctor, The Smithy Art Gallery, Cooperstown, NY, Art Now and Bridge fairs in Miami Beach, and NY, NY, Micaela Gallery, SFMOMA Artist Gallery, the Lab, San Fransisco, We Artspace, Oakland, CA. In addition to creating and exhibiting her own work, North continues to curate cutting edge exhibitions of both professional and student artists.
The world is on fire while going underwater, and yes, leaks in underwater gas pipelines can cause fire underwater. Additionally, I’ve been researching endangered species of animals that are endemic to threatened islands, and contemplating how the extinction of the dinosaurs may become more real to young children as we’re faced with the impending doom of the unnatural history/future of the next extinction.
Jenna North received an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in painting and new genres. Recent awards include a CNY Arts NYSCA grant for her “Submersive Gardening” project, a residency at the international residency Sculpture Space, and the National Art Gallery in Male’, Maldives where she has an ongoing project to design an ambitious rooftop mural/garden/city park to create the illusion of the ocean rising and washing over a building. She has completed residencies at the The Gatehouse in Washington D.C., the Children’s Museum in Utica, NY, Project Grant(social practice residency in Buffalo, NY), Headlands Center for the Arts in San Francisco, Montalvo, and Root Division. She has worked with the Art in Embassy program at the State Department and exhibited paintings in the US Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Recent solo shows include: "The Joan Dare Gallery" at Hilyer International Art Gallery, and "Triplets; the Enigmatic Egos" at Honfleur Gallery in Washington, D.C., Art at the Palace(Colgate University in Hamilton, NY) "Paintings, Photography and Film Screening", “Drillshaft Paddywack” at The Other Side, Utica, NY. “Submersive Gardening” at the State University of New York, Morrisville, “Showroom/Post-Apocolyptic Interior Decorating” at Mohawk Valley Community College, “Fracking Flow” at View, “Thermal Expansion” at the Red Poppy Art House, Micaela Gallery and “Dispersants” at the TransAmerica building in San Francisco, CA, Penn State University. Other recent shows include: Ruminations; Faculty Show at The Catholic University of America, WAS Gallery, Bethesda, MD, The Artist and Makers, Rockville, MD, Otis Street Arts Project, Washington, D.C., The Silent Barn, NY, NY, The Tech Garden in Syracuse, NY, Pratt Institute at Munson Williams Proctor, The Smithy Art Gallery, Cooperstown, NY, Art Now and Bridge fairs in Miami Beach, and NY, NY, Micaela Gallery, SFMOMA Artist Gallery, the Lab, San Fransisco, We Artspace, Oakland, CA. In addition to creating and exhibiting her own work, North continues to curate cutting edge exhibitions of both professional and student artists.
