join us for an informative look into ditched, a photo-documentation project by local artist becky wilkes, that explores the implications of our throughway society through the examination of debris found in our waterways. through this interactive presentation, wilkes aims to answer the question, “who can we hold responsible if not ourselves, and how can we think creatively to solve this problem.”
since 2014, becky wilkes has studied the migration of trash throughout the watershed. residing on eagle mountain lake, north of fort worth, tx, wilkes has photographed and collected every item of visible debris along one mile of lakefront for one year during the historic drought of 2014 and 2015. her work analyses the quantity, variety and deterioration of trash from our streets, parking lots and ditches. unlike the trash entering our oceans, this debris is trapped inland in our fresh waters, restrained by lake and dam. through thoughtful examination of this debris’ impact, wilkes hopes to help re-envision our waste; inspiring new and creative approaches to clearing our inland waterways.
this discussion is open to all ages + free to attend! capacity limited—donations encouraged.
about the artist
becky wilkes lives with her husband on eagle mountain lake in azle, tx. educated as a chemical engineer at texas a&m, she chose to spend much of her life as a stay-at-home mother of four children who have blessed her with a multitude of perfectly fantastical grand children. thus began her study of chaos and order. her current vocation is a blend of urban archeologist, anthropologist, sociologist, trash collector, environmental activist and photographer.
during the drought of 2014, she began a photo documentation of revealed lakeshore debris. that first day of collection and photography changed the trajectory of her remaining years with the project she now calls “ditched” which explores the implications of our throwaway society through the examination of thousands of items of trash she collected. ms. wilkes is honored to have had her work included in many juried contests, online publications and solo shows, most recently in lubbock, tx, and portland, or.
with the abundant runoff of the spring 2015 flooding, she began to realize the migratory nature of trash in our waterways. eagle mountain lake, while only 14 square miles in size, is fed by a watershed of over 850 square miles. unlike the trash entering our oceans, this debris is trapped inland in our fresh water, restrained by lakes and dams, fed by drainage ditches and roadways.
her current project is a flight into her imagination, a children’s book called “a bit of plastic” where photographs of bits come together to form whimsical characters with messages of concern about the environment. she is available to speak to groups about her project and the impact and variety of trash found “in the ditch”.
this program has been selected in association with dallas contemporary’s artist-led programs initiative.