March 2 – April 28, 2012

Thomas Center Main Gallery
302 NE 6th Ave, Gainesville, FL

Region4: Transformation Through Imagination features works by eighteen artists that seek to transform the reality of the local Cabot/Koppers EPA Superfund site into images that convey both the history of the issue and the possibilities for restoration and positive change. The artists have used scientific data from the site to create their art works, often forming partnerships with scientists who served as consultants on the projects.

Region4: Transformation Through Imagination was organized by the Superfund Art Project (SAP) and hosted by the City of Gainesville’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs (DPRCA) in collaboration with Protect Gainesville Citizens (PGC). The exhibition and related programs are funded in part by a grant from the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs (DCA) and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture and are managed by oconnorartLLC, a Gainesville-based art consulting business.

The Artists who are participating in the exhibit include: Kate Barnes, Stacey Breheny, Anthony Castronovo, Jerry Cutler, Bonita Dewilaby, Lorelei Esser, Florida Research Ensemble, Katerie Gladdys, Tom Hundersmarck, Nitin Jayaswal, Debra Lindberg, Jill Murphree-Leitner, John A. O’Connor, Melanie Peter, Sherrie Pettigrew, Anne Stagg, and Margaret Ross Tolbert. Scientific consultants and other collaborators include Lu Cao, Pat Cline, Ky Gress, Wes Lindberg, Tom Morris, Anna Prizzia, Barbara Jo Revelle, Whitney Sanford, Jack Stenner, Greg Ulmer and Samuel Lopez de Victoria.

Opening reception: March 2, 5-7 p.m. An opening reception will be held at the Thomas Center from 5 to 6 P.M. on March 2. Following the reception, Exhibition Curator Mallory O’Connor will present a “Gallery Talk” and tour of the exhibition. Next, Cinema Verde, the Environmental Film and Arts Festival, will present a short video piece at the Thomas Center and then host the screening of an environmental film at Villa East. All events are free and open to the public.

SAVE THE DATE!!! March 30, 6 p.m. Lecture by NY photographer Brooke Singer
Media artist Brooke Singer, Associate Professor of New Media, State University of New York, Purchase, will give a talk titled “Alternative Histories: Mapping Toxic Legacy and Tracking Superfund.”

April 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eco-Health Festival, Agape Faith Center
Learn more about the Superfund site. Attend an informational gathering that will feature speakers, community organizations, food and fun for the kids. Located at Agape Faith Center, 936 NW 31st Avenue, Gainesville, Florida.

The Thomas Center Galleries are located at 302 NE 6th Ave., Gainesville, FL 32601. Gallery hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Tuesday from 8 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. and Saturday from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. The galleries are closed Sundays and for observed holidays. For additional gallery information, please contact Russell Etling, Cultural Affairs Coordinator at (352) 393-8532 or visit www.gvlculturalaffairs.org.

Protect Gainesville’s Citizens [PGC] mission includes helping to keep our local citizens informed on the progress of the Koppers superfund site cleanup. Using funds awarded in a Technical Assistance Grant from the USEPA, PGC pays a professional engineer to review documents and interpret them for a lay audience. Below are current activities associated with the site remediation process. Should anyone want more information, and/or think others would be interested, more detail can be obtained by emailing ta@protectgainesville.org or, by contacting the Alachua County Public Health Unit, Alachua County Environmental Protection Department, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection or the USEPA Region 4.

• Beazer has proposed a plan to collect more soil samples to delineate the extent of the offsite contamination (dioxins, PAHs and arsenic). EPA/FDEP/City have provided comment. On Tuesday, January 24th, ACEPD and others will meet with the sampling team to finalize the exact locations. PGC’s Technical Advisor is invited and will participate. Sampling should then be done soon after that – it will be a month or two before we have the data.
• EPA will implement an indoor dust study using their experts. The Local Intergovernmental Team [LIT] will discuss the protocols, labs, etc. Scott Miller, USEPA Region 4 Director has asked PGC’s Technical Advisor to be involved in the selection of homes. We agreed that the report prepared by EPA will have the protocols and the results but limited data interpretation. The community can then prepare and conduct our own discussions.
• In the 5 year review, PGC’s Technical Advisor commented that groundwater and possibly soil contamination remains on the former Cabot site (Big Lots, etc) beneath the buildings and potential impacts from “vapor intrusion” should be evaluated (migration of contaminants into the buildings). Cabot Corporation has prepared a work plan which the LIT is currently reviewing. This vapor intrusion is an interesting and complicated issue.
• The Consent Agreement is still being negotiated. It is unclear when it will be finalized. However, work around the site is still ongoing. For example, additional offsite sampling will begin prior to the Consent Agreement and there are onsite pilot tests being conducted as well as installation of additional groundwater monitoring wells.

Dr. Patricia Cline
Technical Advisor

The US EPA is conducting a Site tour of the former Koppers facility located at 200 NW 23rd Ave in Gainesville, on Thursday 9/21 at 7:00 PM. For more info please see the .pdf here. The purpose of the Site tour is to provide information regarding the Site progress since the Record of Decision was published on February 2, 2011, and top provide information on the next steps in the cleanup process.

An informational workshop will be held on Saturday, Sept 17th from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at the Thomas Center [302 NE 6th Avenue, 32601]. The purpose of this workshop is to provide information to artists who are interested in submitting work for the Region4: Tranformation Through Imagination Exhibit.  Several local scientific experts will provide background information on the Cabot Carbon/Koppers Superfund site and will be available for questions and answers