Exhibition Guide

Printed Text in “The Role of Climate Change in Coastal Flooding”

The text on the label for this sound station reads:

What is causing sea level rise and coastal flooding?

Climate change is often framed as a global crisis, but its impacts are local. Many coastal cities like Venice, Italy, and Baltimore, Maryland, use fossil fuels to support both booming tourism and shipping industries. The burning of fossil fuels is a proven contributor to increasing land and water temperatures, also known as global warming. As glaciers melt and water expands with heat, water levels rise at an alarming rate.

If fossil fuel use exceeds current projections, sea levels could rise by over 4 feet in Baltimore and by nearly 6 feet in Venice within the next 50 years. If the floor beneath you represents the current sea level, your body and the paintings hanging on this wall could be partially underwater by 2075. If left unchecked, some areas of Venice could be permanently underwater by 2150.

Immerse yourself in this soundscape while exploring Francesco Guardi’s paintings of Venice to experience the impact of climate change on coastal cities. (Duration: 2 minutes, 30 seconds, looped)

The images on this label include:

Image1: Cruise ships docked at a Venice busy harbor, with a crane, parking lot, and scenic waterfront under a blue sky. A caption for this image reads: Using an immense volume of pollution-causing fossil fuels is required to keep Venice’s busy tourist and trade industries thriving. While Venice no longer invites massive cruise ships, over 500,000 cruise passengers and over 23 million tons of cargo entered through the busy Port of Venice in 2023.

Image 2: Illustration showing a 5.5 foot-tall person in front of Francesco Guardi’s paintings of Venice with lines indicating the water levels at 4 and 6 feet.

Visual Description of Francesco Guardi’s paintings of Venice

Left:
Francesco Guardi, Italian, 1712-1793

Venice, the Grand Canal with San Geremia, Palazzo Labia, and the Entrance to the Cannaregio
c. 1750
Oil on canvas

The Mary Frick Jacobs Collection, 1938.214

Right:
Francesco Guardi, Italian, 1712-1793

Venice, the Grand Canal with Santa Maria della Salute
c. 1750
Oil on canvas

The Mary Frick Jacobs Collection, 1938.215

The painting on the left features a canal scene in Venice, Italy, in the 18th century.  The foreground shows the canal’s edge lined with a walkway and various gondolas and other smaller boats. People are on the walkway, some standing, some seated, dressed in clothing styles suggestive of the era. There’s a sense of activity and life along the waterfront.

The water in the canal reflects the buildings on its banks. The buildings are various sizes and styles. A tall tower stands out prominently near the center, likely part of a Venetian landmark building or structure, with a small flag visible on top.  The background displays a partly cloudy sky, suggesting daytime. The colors are muted, and the overall impression is a serene, yet detailed representation of a Venetian canal.

The painting on the right depicts the Grand Canal and the Church of the Salute in Venice, Italy, in the 18th century. The foreground displays a calm canal with gondola-style boats moored along the banks. Several figures stand on the land and around the boats, suggesting activity centered around the docks. The buildings and structures along the canal are depicted in a light brownish-tan color scheme, a mix of older and newer architectural styles.

The middle ground shows the Grand Canal, its surface reflecting the sky and parts of the buildings. The most prominent feature is the domed Church of the Salute, centered near the middle of the painting. It is a light beige with darker details and stands out against the surrounding structures.  The background presents a partly cloudy sky in light blues and grays, suggesting a soft daylight. The brushwork is detailed, with visible texture on the buildings and water reflections.

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