The Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge in Puerto Rico, along with five other @usfws refuges on the island, are considered to be the most important stopover for migratory birds between North and South America. Historically, almost half of the bird species recorded in Puerto Rico have been observed in the lagoon and the adjacent hills.
At just 160 square acres of land, Rainbow Bridge National Monument is one of the smallest units of the National Park Service. What it lacks in acreage it makes up for in size as one of the largest natural bridges in the world! Photo by Rosemary Polletta (http://sharetheexperience.com)
Swirling sandstone with smooth edges makes for a striking contrast in this remote section of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona. Home to extraordinary formations, this area, known as White Pocket, is only accessible by ATV’s or 4-wheel-drive vehicles. Please bring plenty of your own water, proper hiking footwear, and a #TeamPublicLands mindset, that will leave this place for others to enjoy. Photo by Jessica Fridrich (www.sharetheexperience.org)
In a few short months, alpine wildflowers will be decorating the scene like this incredible shot of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington. Capturing dawn’s early light means rising well before the body wants to, but you’re rewarded with extreme quiet and time to enjoy the sunrise. Recreate responsibly Photo courtesy of Nathaniel Wise.
When you’re known as “The Jewel of Lake Superior,” you have a lot to live up to.
Apostle Island National Lakeshore in Wisconsin features a combination of spectacular natural beauty and rich cultural history.
The islands are a sacred homeland for the Ojibwe people who live throughout the Great Lakes region. According to their written and oral history, they are the original inhabitants of this area and consider Madeline Island an important part of their past and present day lives. The Ojibwe call Madeline Island “Moningwunakauning” or “Home of the golden-breasted woodpecker.” Photo by Michael DeWitt (www.sharetheexperience.org)
Known for its history, picturesque blue waters, superlative coral reefs, and the vast assortment of bird life that frequents the area, Dry Tortugas National Park is an isolated gem surrounded by a wilderness of ocean.
Dry Tortugas lies at the farthest end of the Florida Keys. The colorful corals, sea grass, and reef fish that call this watery wonderland home, are some of the most vibrant in the world. Photo by National Park Service
“Nervescape V,” 2016. QAGOMA, Brisbane. (Photo: Natasha Harth)
Icelandic artist Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir, also known as Shoplifter, uses something unusual to create her colorful art installations—hair. Using both synthetic and real hair, she creates giant fantasy landscapes and sculptures that are at once whimsical and mesmerizing. Braided, molded, brushed, and even melted, hair is layered together to create dynamic artwork that radiates energy.
Her fascination with hair began as a child when she saw her grandmother store one of her cut-off braids in a drawer. Later, it became a way for her to explore a medium that is beautiful and comforting, yet can also spark disgust. “I find it fascinating that we have this forever changing ‘vegetation’ all over our bodies, which we have to groom and tame,” Shoplifter shared with Infringe. “Hair is a remnant of the wildness that we possess, and one of the few things that survives our existence. It’s like a shield, or alternatively it can be a way of showing yourself to the world.”
Shoplifter, who has collaborated with Björk in the past, brings whimsy and humor to her work. Her large-scale Nervescape installations see vibrant tufts of hair used to create an environment that she hopes embraces visitors. Seeing the work as a world of imaginary nerve endings, for Shoplifter the pieces are both a reflection of our internal landscape and also a fantasy meant to provide a means of escape. This playfulness is a call to remember our youth and to push positive energy into the world.
Big opportunities continue to come Shoplifter’s way. In 2019, she will represent Iceland in the Venice Biennale. The world will be waiting anxiously to see what she creates given this huge international platform.
“Nervescape V,” 2016. QAGOMA, Brisbane. (Photo: Natasha Harth)
“Nevrescape VII,” 2017. National Gallery of Iceland. (Photo: Frosti Gnarr)
“Nervescape VII,” 2017. National Gallery of Iceland. (Photo: Frosti Gnarr).
“Nervelings,” 2018. Phillips Collection. (Photo: Albert Ting)
“Nervescape IV,” 2015. Nordic Biennial.
“Nervescape,” 2012. Collaboration with Kria Brekkan and Cibelle. Clocktower Gallery, New York. (Photo: Michal Jurewicz)
“Lonely,” 2018. The Watermill Center, New York. (Photo: Untitled Magazine)
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Sig Nordal, Jr. 