Local Artist’s Photography Series Explores Climate Change and Colonialism in Virginia’s Coastal Region

Greta Pratt (American, born 1955), Juneteenth Celebration, 2023, Archival pigment print, © Greta Pratt

NORFOLK, Va., March 3, 2024–The Chrysler Museum of Art is proud to present Jamestown is Sinking, a photographic series that explores the disparities and connections between climate change and colonialism in Virginia’s coastal region. Created by Norfolk-based artist and 2024 Guggenheim Fellow in Photography Greta Pratt, the exhibition will be on view in the Frank Photography Gallery at One Memorial Pl, Norfolk, from March 6–July 27, 2025.

The Tidewater region of Virginia is home to some of the most significant sites in early U.S. history; it is also one of the areas experiencing the fastest rates of sea-level rise along the Eastern Seaboard. Against this backdrop, Pratt documents the interplay of water, people, and historical sites, examining the industries and trade routes that have defined the region from its colonial founding to the present.

Jamestown Is Sinking examines how centuries of colonization—driven by capitalist expansion—have dramatically altered the natural environment. Water, a central force throughout the exhibition, surrounds, floods, and washes away land, erasing histories and exposing inequities simultaneously.

“Throughout her career, Greta’s photographs have questioned how myth and identity mingle with historical processes. In this new series, the stakes are raised as her imagery confronts not only the distant past but our imminent future,” says Chelsea Pierce, McKinnon Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. “I am proud that the Chrysler Museum will debut this important body of work on a topic so locally relevant.”

The Museum invites the public to celebrate the exhibition’s opening during Mixtape: First Thursday, a free after-hours event on Thursday, March 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. Visitors will have the opportunity to join an intimate conversation with Greta Pratt as she shares insights into her work and discusses how photography can serve as a lens for reexamining our communities and histories.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Greta Pratt is an artist, photographer, and author whose work explores American myth, place, and identity. A 2024 Guggenheim Fellow in Photography, Pratt’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, The Park Avenue Armory, Beirut Art Center, The Museum of Contemporary Photography, and Mattress Factory Museum, among others. Her photographs have been featured in Art in America, National Geographic, The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, and Harpers, along with numerous books and catalogues.

ABOUT THE CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART

The Chrysler Museum of Art brings art and people together through experiences that delight, inform, and inspire. Internationally recognized for its collection of more than 35,000 objects, including one the largest glass collections in America, the Museum also includes free admission, the state-of-the-art Perry Glass Studio, a full-service restaurant, shop, theater, works on paper space, and oversees the historic Myers House. The Museum boasts an ambitious schedule of exhibitions, events, and programs, and has been nationally recognized for its commitment to inclusion through its innovative gallery host program. For more information, visit chrysler.org. Follow on social media @ChryslerMuseum to receive the latest updates.

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For more information, interview assistance, or a high-resolution image suitable for publication, please contact Tanya Kaish Keller at Qantm Creative. 757-618-3655 | tanya@qantmcreative.com

High-resolution images and credits are available. Permission and credit are required for the use of all images, print or digital. Cropping may not be permitted on some images; see caption sheet if applicable.