On March 30, Brent Bergherm, associate professor of technology and design, presented his sabbatical project in the Melvin K. West Fine Arts Center. The exhibit, titled “Exploring Wild & Remote Places,” included a series of posters with photos taken in Isle Royale National Park, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Minnesota’s North Shore, and Badlands National Park.
The exhibit showcased a total of 36 photographs, nine for each location, and large panels with descriptions. “I collected items from the areas to show how they are currently marketed and characterized with postcards and stickers,” Bergherm explained. These allowed his exhibit to have a museum style by comparing the parks’ current advertising to how his posters present the parks’ features.
For the first part of his sabbatical, Bergherm went on one big road trip to these various parks that lasted 28 days. He drove over 5,000 miles and hiked over 60 miles while camping overnight in the parks. Two of the main lessons he learned during this time was the importance of pacing himself and how to be self-sufficient.
The other half of his project consisted of creating custom illustration posters involving a digital painting process. He chose to expand his digital painting skills so he could better teach it to his Advanced Methods class.
Bergherm described his experience, “It’s great to explore places like this because I am curious by nature.” He specifically chose these areas because they are not as popular as the other national parks, and he “prefers a sense of discovery.” Photographing more well-known parks presents a challenge of people having preconceptions of what those places look like, according to Bergherm.
There will be another opportunity to view Bergherm’s work during alumni weekend. “I am happy to have people understand more about these areas and the places I went to,” Bergherm exclaimed.
Posted on April 25, 2022
