Ochre & Oxide: Unearthing Chattanooga’s 250-Year Redemptive Arc

OCHRE & OXIDE

Unearthing Chattanooga's 250-Year Redemptive Arc

THE HISTORY: A REDEMPTIVE ARC

Chattanooga’s story is a 250-year epic of transformation. In 1776, this was a rugged, sacred wilderness—the "Lookout" over the river. By 1969, we were named the "Dirtiest City in America," a place where the air was heavy and the river was a warning.

Today, we are celebrated as North America's first National Park City. But a redemptive arc is not a finished line; it is a direction. We have cleaned the air, but we are still healing our waters. We have built the bridges, but we are still bridging the human divides of our history.

THE EXPERIENCE: CORE & CANOPY

To celebrate the 2026 milestone, our cohort is utilizing a dual-layer exhibition model designed to capture the full spectrum of our regional landscape:

The Core: Six monumental, museum-grade commissions—one from each master artist. While each panel reflects a unique creative voice, they are visually unified by the Regional Palette, ensuring the literal soil of Hamilton County binds the collection together as a single civic record.

The Canopy: A supporting archive of previous artist works, process sketches, and raw mineral samples. The Canopy documents the "Technical Forage"—as well as the broader ecological and cultural images that define our home.

Youth Outreach: In partnership with SPLASH Youth Arts Workshop, local students will engage with both levels of the exhibition through guided "Master/Apprentice" tours and technical demonstrations on mineral synthesis.

THE OUTCOME: A SHIFT IN SIGHT

Ochre & Oxide is a permanent contribution to the cultural soil of Chattanooga. By naming both the beauty and the brokenness of our land, we aim to recalibrate how we see our home.

"We are the stewards of the next 250 years."

The Arc of Implementation

Phase I: Synthesis

Jan – Feb 2026

Technical forage and refinement of the regional mineral palette.

Phase II: Studio

Mar – July 2026

Production of the six "Core" legacy commissions.

Phase III: Curation

Aug – Sept 2026

Selection of "Canopy" archive works and final exhibition design.

Phase IV: Premier

Oct – Dec 2026

Inaugural exhibition debut for America 250.

PROJECT ECONOMICS

65% The Core Commissions ($15,000) Professional fees for six master artists to create monumental 2026 legacy works.
9% The Canopy: Synthesis & Outreach ($2,000) Mineral lab processing, process documentation, and SPLASH youth field trips.
26% Stewardship & Exhibition ($6,000) Museum-grade installation, archival photography, and 501(c)3 fiscal management.

TOTAL PROJECT VALUE: $23,000

JOIN THE STEWARDSHIP CIRCLE

To receive a digital copy of our 'Stewardship Prospectus' or to discuss a tailored partnership, please contact Matthew Monahan.

Become a Partner
Fiscal Sponsorship provided by Splash (501c3). All donations are tax-deductible.