June 12, 2001 – September 12, 2001 Mary Edna Fraser A Celebration of Barrier Islands

The work of Mary Edna Fraser is known to Washington DC audiences from her 1994-95 exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum, Aerial Inspirations. The large batiks (measuring about 3 x 5 feet) in the current exhibition depict barrier islands, thin ribbons of land fronting all the world's coastal planes. After studying navigational charts to identify features of visual interest, Fraser photographs them -- often from her grandfather's 1946 Ercoupe plane. These modern photographs are then translated into the ancient dye-resist technique of batik.

Fraser's interest in the aesthetics of the coastline led her to consider the ecological questions surrounding the coastal environment. In her own words, aerial "trips of up to eight hours have not yielded a single photo I can use for design. Jetties, seawalls, landfills and false harbors have altered nature beyond recognition." This concern led Fraser to the work of Orrin Pilkey, James B. Duke Professor of Geology at Duke University, and director of Duke's Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, who provided wall texts for the exhibition.

An opening reception will be held from 7:00 to 8:00 pm on June 12, following the presentation by Mary Edna Fraser and Orrin Pilkey.

Mary Edna Fraser Images

Hurricane Season
Batik
50 in. x 36 in

Earthscaping
Batik
47 in. x 47 in.

Outer Banks
Batik
152 in. x 55 in

Louisiana's Disappearing Chains
Batik
33 in. x 63 in.

Australia's Fraser Island
Batik
27 in. x 40 in.

Fraser Press Release

Related Lecture: A Shared Vision: Preserving the Barrier Islands through Science and Art

Lecture Press Release

Mary Fraser’s homepage