Connecting land along the Mississippi River to oceans hundreds of miles away is no small task, though Adam Eikamp and the River Museum have done just that. Eikamp, a local Dubuque artist, previously completed the artwork in the River Museum's Delta exhibit, known for its stingray touch tank. He now has been tasked with creating artwork to coincide with the exhibits in the Rivers to the Sea renovation at the River Museum.
The Rivers to the Sea exhibit will show visitors just how connected people are to oceans. The Mississippi River serves as a conduit that connects many to the oceans, and the exhibit works to show how one’s actions impact an environment far away.
Along with educational experiences and more than one hundred new species, the Rivers to the Sea exhibit features mural and sculpture work from Eikamp. The Dubuque artist took on the work in order to add to an already deep and riveting story told by the exhibit.
“I asked about which animals we need to include, which ones we don’t need to include, which stories we want to tell about invasive species or endangered species, or just a fascinating animal.” said Eikamp in discussion about his initial plan for the design.
With this in mind, Eikamp’s work in the Rivers to the Sea exhibit features species found in areas such as the Gulf of Mexico and the Marshall Islands. The focus of the mural and sculpture work is to highlight species that come from the same regions, but are not able to be on display. The murals include images of marlins, sharks, and sea vegetation that are specific to the same region as the rest of the exhibit. Eikamp also created a sculpture of a Vaquita to add to the story of the exhibit.
“If we have the animal on display, I won’t include that in the mural because guests will be able to experience its beauty in the purest way,” said Eikamp regarding the selection of species used for the mural, “but that’s where I think we can tell stories about these animals. You can tell the stories and start the conversation through the artwork.”
Along with enhancing the experience of visitors to the River Museum, Eikamp has also highlighted the high level of untapped artistic talent that Dubuque and other smaller cities have. With the completion of the artwork, he has been able to showcase a stewardship between the River Museum and a local artist, a stewardship in which exceptional work was completed while fostering a local connection and relationship.
Specifically with his work in the Rivers to the Sea exhibit, Eikamp feels strongly about the narrative the new exhibit is designed to tell.
“A lot of the takeaway is to take care of our environment,” said Eikamp. “I hope people can see the connection and remember it long after their visit.”
In turn, the new Rivers to the Sea exhibit at the River Museum will help create an educational and immersive experience for all visitors. The art and sculpture work done by Eikamp will coincide with the aquatic exhibits to tie all of us to oceans, no matter where one resides.
Rivers to the Sea, located in the National River Center, opens on March 3. The exhibit is covered in general admission.
This post was written by Zak Talbot, Marketing Intern