For this exhibition, The Canary Project presents photographs taken by Susannah Sayler in the Cloud Forests of Central America and the Sahel region in Niger. Selected as a study in contrast, these two locations offer distinct examples of contemporary environmental crisis. The Cloud Forests, despite their conspicuously lush, verdant appearance, are in a state of dramatic decline due to the effects of climate change. As rising temperatures deplete the forests’ cloud layer, moisture levels plummet, wreaking havoc on its diverse ecosystem. Conversely, the marked desolation of the Nigerian landscape belies the success of the country’s recently implemented reforestation programs. In the Sahel region, innovative land restoration efforts have begun to reverse the area’s extensive desertification, restoring vegetation and combating draught. This photographs advance The Canary Project’s intention to provide a visual record of global warming that conveys the urgency and immediacy of the issue.

Sayler and Edward Morris, founded The Canary Project in 2006 to build public understanding of human-induced climate change and energize a commitment to solutions through the production of visual media, events, and artwork.

Susannah Sayler's images of global warming have been exhibited in major art and science museums, galleries, and public venues as well as in print media. Her work as part of the Canary Project will be exhibited this year at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, OH, and at Colgate University in Colgate, NY. Additionally, it has been featured at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL; the National Arts Club, New York, NY; the Desert Living Center, Las Vegas, NV; the Sheehan Gallery at Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA; Artech 2006, Ponte Vedra, Spain; Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY; Crane Arts Building, Philadelphia, PA; and the Denver Museum of Art in Denver, CO. She has lectured on The Canary Project at the Museum of Science and Industry, the Good Magazine Pop-Up Community Center, and the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art. Sayler earned an MFA in Photography and Related Media from the School of Visual Arts in New York, NY. For more information visit www.canary-project.org.