#ndob

[text]: Thank you, Nina! And, of course, Maverick. A stick? For me? I don’t think I’ve ever been so honored. Might be the best present I’ve ever gotten. I will just have to do that. Thank you, Nina. 

[text]: Thank you, sweatpea!!!! 

Terry Evans

              BOOM! Goes the dynamite! Or in this case, “North Dakota’s Oil Boom”

Terry Evans and Elizabeth Farnsworth first caught wind of what would eventually become Fractured: North Dakota’s Oil Boom, back in June of 2011. A project that started as an unknown but quickly turned into something very “issue oriented” said Evans.

            This project became something that had to be done.  Evans knew she had to document what was happening in North Dakota and did so over the course of about seven trips over the course of a few years.

Evans wanted to show all sides of the story, not just those being affected negatively or positively, she needed to show all of it. At the Field Museum, where the exhibit is currently being displayed, the room is set up on three walls, and the entrance is set up like a front porch. A wood structure and small seating is placed so you walk into the space through the “porch”.

On the right wall was the section titled, White Earth: Black Gold and showed the families and areas that were being treated with neglect and creating long-term damaging effects to them. These families land was being taken over by drilling companies because they do not own the mineral rights, which overpower the land rights when it comes to who can do what to the land. This process is causing damage to “virgin prairie” and it is making the land owners sad to see it not being taken care of.

    To the left was the section titled, Roses and Money: Beneficiaries of the Boom. Which included individuals who greatly gained from the boom. Men who owned mineral rights, CEOs of companies doing the fracking, and so on. These were the people, not right or wrong, good or bad, that make a living because of the deposits in North Dakota.

            The back wall, which was bar far the biggest included Terry Evans aerial shots of the land, the trucks, the oil plots, and the damages to the prairies. She also photographed individuals that she titled “Boomers”.

These are the people who are just along for the ride, everyday people affected by the boom. Most of these people she shot outside of restaurants and lunch stops, using a Canon 5D Mkii with an 85mm lens. Evans said she shot countless images and had to edit down to what you see here.

            Overall the exhibition displays a true image of what is going on in North Dakota; the ups and downs, the everyday, the damage and the creation of prosperity.

            The show dates are Fri June 7,2013- Sun Jul 20,2014 so make sure you check out the show at the Field Museum in Chicago.  You can find more information at the Museums website, here.