Video Transcript
Reporter: Piecing together the past and present, the Everson Museum in downtown Syracuse opened its new exhibit, ‘At Water’s Edge.’ The exhibit showcases artwork from three New York-based photographers, Clara Riedlinger, Alon Koppel and Judit German-Heins, showcasing the canal’s history through a puzzle, videos and images.
Reporter: It’s the first time the Everson is displaying artwork in collaboration with the Erie Canal Museum.
Steph Adams: I think an art exhibition as opposed to, like normal types of things that we have here in a history museum, is a way to get people who otherwise might not be interested, a little more interested.
Reporter: All three photographers spent the last year photographing canal along the four major cities the canal resides on: Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo. The three photographers focus on differen aspects of the canal through history and current times, including people, nature and the cities along the way. All three photographers chose their own specific styles to explain how the Erie Canal has had an historic impact on Syraucse and the entirety of Upstate New York.
Clara Riedlinger: I wanted to bring back some of the more, like enchanted worldview into my photographs to hopefully, put viewers in the shoes of people at that time.
Reporter: The full display is in Syracuse until April 27, showcasing just how much times have really changed. Madison Hricik, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Three photographers, three artistic styles, 200 years of cultural development in Upstate New York.
The Everson Museum of Art in downtown Syracuse opened its exhibit, “At Water’s Edge: Reflections of 200 Years of the Erie Canal,” in February after three artists completed a yearlong residency.
These artists, all based in New York, used their own individual styles to tell different stories about the canal’s impact on the state. Clara Riedlinger, Alon Koppel and Judit German-Heins are the three featured artists on display at the Everson Museum of Art.
The exhibit is open until April 27.
It’s the second year the Erie Canal Museum has held an exhibit featuring an artist in residence. Last year, the Erie Canal Museum displayed the artwork of the one artist who took part in the residency.
After expanding to three artists, Riedlinger, Koppel and German-Heins, the Erie Canal Museum decided to collaborate with the Everson Museum to display this year’s work in a larger space.
“I think an art exhibit as opposed to, just like normal types of things that we have here in a history museum is a way to get people who might otherwise might not be interested, a little more interested,” said Steph Adams, the Erie Canal’s director of interpretation.
Riedlinger and Koppel both told their stories through city and natural landscapes.
Riedlinger, born and raised in Rochester, said her experience as a part of the residency helped shed light on religious communities near and around the Erie Canal that flourished 200 years ago.
It inspired Riedlinger to continue working through her part of the project even beyond the exhibit in downtown Syracuse.
“I’d really like to travel a little bit more even into Pennsylvania,” Riedlinger said. “Because that story kind of extends down the Susquehanna River.”
Her part of the exhibit features eight photographs, mostly looking at different natural elements surrounding the canal, as well as a 15-minute “experimental film,” telling one story through different perspectives along the canal.
Koppel used the technique of rephotography to tell his story, focusing on how the City of Syracuse has changed since the canal finished construction. The concept uses photos from the Erie Canal Museum, dating back to 200 years ago, and combines it with photos of Syracuse today to show how the city has evolved.
“He used archival material from the museum and then went to shoot the same shot as close as he could to the same frame,” Adams said. “And then he just blended them together.”
Koppel added an interactive element to his project, including a puzzle attendees can piece together at the center of the display.
Finally, German-Heins used portrait photography to highlight the women whose lives were, or are continually, impacted by the women who helped with the creation of the canal.
Her work resembles an old photograph, worn away over time. Her photos are all black and white, and include simple still shots of each woman.
Riedlinger and Adams are both included in German-Heins’ part of the exhibit.
All three artists will see the full gallery for the first time during a meet-and-greet-like discussion at the Everson on Feb. 15. Riedlinger said she’s seen small pieces of the full gallery, having helped Koppel pick out a similar frame to her photos, but is excited to see the entire exhibit on display.
“I’ve seen pictures of the installation, and it looks great,” Riedlinger said. “I was very glad when I got the pictures to see that everybody’s work was very balanced. Nobody made way more or way less than anyone else.”
