By Scout Nelson
Design students at the University of Kansas have created “1 Kansas Farmer,” a series of six display panels exploring Kansas farmers’ land-use decisions, environmental challenges, and their historic roots in the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.
The panels, inspired by the environmental and artistic legacy of the Dust Bowl, connect past lessons with current agricultural challenges.
This project visually communicates research conducted by the Biofuels and Climate Change: Farmers’ Land Use Decisions (BACC: FLUD) initiative. The research examines Kansas farmers’ decisions regarding biofuel crop opportunities and the impacts of climate change on agriculture.
“Students were tasked with creating layouts that tell a complete story,”Said Professor Patrick Dooley. Each panel was designed to resemble magazine spreads and incorporate information graphics that effectively convey research findings.
Period art, historic photographs, and contemporary images by artist Larry Schwarm were integrated into the designs, drawing from collections at the Spencer Museum of Art and the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art.
The content, developed in collaboration with Spencer Museum staff, combines historic interviews, survey responses, and recent research data. Students also received guidance on designing panels suitable for museum displays.
The panels are currently displayed in the Spencer Museum of Art until December 15 as part of an exhibition connected to the 2013-2014 KU Common Book, “The Worst Hard Time.” Smaller versions of the panels will appear at the Kansas NSF EPCOR conference and the Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in Manhattan.
Kate Meyer, project lead for “1 Kansas Farmer” and member of the BACC: FLUD team, will discuss Dust Bowl-inspired art in a lecture at the Spencer Museum auditorium. This discussion will highlight the iconic images capturing the devastation of the Dust Bowl and its lasting impact.
For more information and to view the panels online, visit the Design Department’s Belance page or the Spencer Museum’s website.
Photo Credits:kansas-state-university
Categories: Kansas, General