Artist’s Statement:
I am fascinated by the visual energy and tension created at the intersections of nature and human activity. Uniquely as a species, we consciously modify and use the environment for our perceived needs or enjoyment. Sometimes we consider the future consequences of our actions. More often, we focus myopically on the short-term utility of land and resource use. We are now at a critical juncture in the evolution of our species. How we choose to live on Earth in the next few decades, with a rapidly growing human population and expanding consumption patterns, may determine not only our prospects for survival, but also the ultimate viability of the global ecosystem.
The focus of my work over the past three years has been on the development of large-scale renewable energy in the American West. I began this work in October 2010, with a flight over the future site of Ivanpah Solar in the Mojave Desert of California, USA. Now complete as of February 2014, Ivanpah Solar is the world’s largest concentrated solar thermal power plant, with the capacity to produce 392 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 140,000 American homes.
In our inexorable quest for energy to meet the growing demands of a consumption dependent culture, we are transforming our natural, rural, and urban landscapes at an accelerating pace. The need to examine such transformations with an aesthetic and critical eye is compelling and necessary. To think consciously about the decisions we make, or have imposed upon us, we need to see these changes. As an artist, aerial photography is a principal component of my work. I explore perspectives distinct from those found on earth’s surface, revealing information and insight otherwise concealed.
Ultimately, the issues surrounding energy production are global in nature. Renewable energy projects are being built around the world at a remarkable pace. Over the next few years, I intend to transform Changing Perspectives into a project of global scale. By observing these contemporary changes, I am creating imagery relevant both to our present-day collective consciousness and to an eventual historical perspective of this era on Earth.
Artist’s Bio:
Jamey Stillings’ career spans documentary, fine art and commercial projects. He holds a BA in Art from Willamette University, an MFA in Photography from RIT, and has a diverse range of international commission clients. Stillings’ work is in the collections of the Library of Congress, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and Nevada Museum of Art.
Recent milestones: The Epson Creativity Award 2015; Critical Mass 2015 Top 50; TEDxABQ speaker 2014; The Center for Fine Art Photography, Solo Exhibition, 2014; Etherton Gallery, Solo Exhibition, 2014; Eliot Porter Grant recipient 2013. Stillings’ monograph, The Bridge at Hoover Dam, was published by Nazraeli Press in 2011. The Evolution of Ivanpah Solar was published by Steidl in 2015.