Lake Hiawatha Anthropocenic Midden Survey Exhibit

In 2015, artist Sean Connaughty collected, sorted, and cataloged 69 bags of trash from Lake Hiawatha in Minneapolis. He chose to put the items on public display to raise awareness of the lake’s declining condition and mobilize community support. For the exhibition, I designed five banners providing context on the lake’s history, environmental impacts, survey findings, and a call to action. I also created an interactive component at the end of the exhibit where visitors could sign a petition, pledge to change personal behaviors, or join volunteer efforts.

Promotion through local media, including the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, helped draw a strong turnout. Many attendees reported being deeply moved by the exhibit, which successfully rallied public support ahead of a key city meeting.

Exhibit credits: Sean Connaughty, Annette Walby, Craig Johnson, Amy Dritz, Carol Nordstrom, Andy Powell.