Gretchen Pruett, American, born 1987
Lead Exposure Series, 2016
Gretchen Pruett’s watercolor paintings were a part of an exhibit at the Buckham Gallery, which featured local artists from Flint, Michigan, and their artistic expressions surrounding the water crisis. The Buckham Gallery is a non-profit organization that supports the local art community in Flint. Pruett’s paintings feature images of body parts that have been affected by the lead in the local water. As a model for the images, she used original medical imaging from residents, and her backlit watercolor paintings are realistic expressions of this imaging. The main purpose of choosing such a subject was to bring awareness to the dangerous side effects residents have suffered from the lead poisoned water and demonstrating how critical it is that Flint residents have access to stronger medical relief and protection. Label by Maeve Marsh