STANDBY SNOW: CHRONICLES OF A HEATWAVE, CHAPTER TWO, August 2021, West Creek Ranch Emigrant, Montana
Standby Snow: Chronicles of a Heatwave, Chapter Two, puts forward two parallel narratives in six scenes.
A researcher, played by Rachel Tang presents her methods and findings as she discovers and reconstructs historical, cultural and scientific knowledge of the Paradise Valley. Tang speculates about alternative futures.
Four characters imagine a different world to inhabit and survive in. The characters are:Water: Shane Doyle / Reflection: Shakira Glenn / Jupiter: Michael O’Reilly / Map: Laine Rettmer
Central to the themes of STANDBY SNOW: CHRONICLES OF A HEATWAVE, CHAPTER TWO are the reversing of settler ethics that continue to damage our Indigenous communities and our region’s environment. The work seeks to restore cultural histories and to imagine ways to reverse the devastation caused by drought and fire.
Standby Snow: Chronicles of a Heatwave, Chapter Two was co-directed by Mary Ellen Strom and Laine Rettmer. The project was co-created by Shane Doyle (Apsáalooke), musician, writer and Indigenous scholar; Ben Lloyd, architect, designer and media artist; Shakira Glenn (Apsáalooke), singer; Billy Foshay, digital artist; Andrea Merkx, musician; Michael O’Reilly, dancer, singer and choreographer; Alayna Rasile, textile artist and costume designer. Laine Rettmer, visual artist and opera director; Mary Ellen Strom, writer, performance and video artist; Rachel Tang, researcher and art historian. Standby Snow was produced by Isabel Beavers.
This research-based project was produced in dialogue with advisors from the Rocky Mountain West, including Native Studies scholars, Ren Freeman, Dean Nicolai; fire scientist, Cathy Whitlock; and environmental scientist, Pat Byorth. STANDBY SNOW chronicles current regional climate realities and speculates about possible methods of environmental regeneration. The work examines the cultural and economic complexities of human values that shape restoration goals and practices.
Standby Snow: Chronicles of a Heatwave, Chapter Two was commissioned and produced by Mountain Time Arts, with generous support from: The MAP Fund, Montana Arts Council, The National Endowment for the Arts, and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Special thanks to our partners and collaborators: Dave Leverett, Music Villa, Eagle Mount and West Creek Ranch, a working ranch in Emigrant, Montana that is bordered by the Yellowstone River and Gallatin National Forest. West Creek Ranch is a collaborative destination for experts, advocates, organizers, influencers, and disrupters to harness their collective power, tackle challenges, catalyze progress and build community.