Emerge: Fluvial Tapestries from Hurricane Harvey
Emerge: Fluvial Tapestries presents a natural narrative of Hurricane Harvey in relation to Buffalo Bayou’s water levels and the sediment deposits left after the storm.
The exhibition includes 12 sand peel sculptures, high water mark references, a video installation, and a small publication.
From October 2017 to June 2018 a team of artists and geologists working in communication with the Buffalo Bayou Partnership and the University of Houston Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences collected 12 sand peels from sediment deposits left by Hurricane Harvey in Buffalo Bayou Park. These natural sand tapestries are a record of Buffalo Bayou’s reactions to Hurricane Harvey. The sedimentary structures and layers visible on each sand peel are the result of the evolving energy levels and sediment load carried by Buffalo Bayou as water unleashed by Hurricane Harvey flooded and receded from Houston. The layers tell the story of flooding, adjustment, and recovery from the storm.
The frames for the sand peel sculptures are made from recycled wood debris collected after Hurricane Harvey. The sculptures are complemented by water marks on the walls of the gallery that illustrate the timeline of events during Harvey flooding and a video that documents the efforts to restore the park, the current flow and use of the Bayou, and the surrounding landscape of Houston, Texas.
“Buffalo Bayou is an ever-evolving fundamental feature of Houston, TX. It has and always will change and adapt to its surroundings. The bayou responds to both natural and artificial changes imposed on it, eroding in one place and depositing sediment somewhere else. Hurricane Harvey was one of thousands of such events that Buffalo Bayou has experienced.”
Jerry Kendall, geologist
Special THANKS
To the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, especially Anne Olson, Trudy Smith and Robbie Robinson, The University of Houston Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, especially Joel Saylor and Erin Miller, Charlie and Linda Beeman, Tom Byrd (Buffalo Bayou Air Force), Dixie Friend, Ky “the boxer” Cooksey, Box Superstore, Mina Gaber, Andres Machin, and Jan-Claire Phillips for their generous support of this project. This project is funded in part by the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance.