Hydrophillic

John Sabraw’s art has garnered awe and awareness for addressing ever-more-pressing environmental concerns through innovative collaborations with scientists working on sustainable solutions. In this new exhibition, Sabraw explores these partnerships through painting, sculpture, and installation, aiming to spur catalytic change by bringing the distinct spheres of art, science, and entrepreneurship together. The exhibition title reflects an affinity for water and pays homage to the focus of collaborations on efforts to restore waterways and habitats from Appalachia to the Bay Area. The pieces in the show emphasize local concerns, including close collaborations with organizations in the area. Works in the show are inspired by satellite imagery, dynamic flows of waterways, and the poetic beauty of complex ecosystems. Painting with vivid colors and a variety of textures, the works flow between abstraction and representation. Materiality is key within Sabraw’s process, as he incorporates sustainably sourced pigments created in collaboration with his Pollution to Paint team and Gamblin Artist Colors. He began incorporating sustainability into his art practice at the turn of the 21st century, as a reaction to other forms of political protest that were proving inefficient. As the climate crisis continues to escalate, Sabraw’s work offers an inspiring combination of action, activism, and art that reminds us that there are many ways to make a difference.