‘Glacial Futures’ brings SA/VS alum Amy Hoagland back to campus for Bolivar exhibition
NOTE: Due to inclement weather, the public roundtable discussion has been rescheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 22, 2026) — The University of Kentucky School of Art and Visual Studies (SA/VS) will host the exhibit “Glacial Futures” Jan. 22-Feb. 20, in the Bolivar Art Gallery.
“Glacial Futures,” features work by Atlanta-based photographer and architect Blake Burton and Amy Hoagland, a 2016 SA/VS graduate. Curated by SA/VS Curatorial Studies graduate student Bryce Chatwin, the exhibition explores the Arctic as a site of beauty, fragility and urgent environmental change.
“Glacial Futures” invites audiences to consider the Arctic as both a place of wonder and a barometer of environmental change. The exhibition draws on the artists’ firsthand experiences in icy, less-traveled regions to create work that highlights the beauty and fragility of Arctic landscapes.
Through photography and sculptural installation, the exhibition explores humanity’s connection to nature and the effects of rising temperatures on glaciers and icy terrain. With an emphasis on observation and discovery, “Glacial Futures” encourages viewers to reflect on how the changes in distant landscapes resonate with global environmental shifts.
Hoagland, a Louisville native, is known for sculptural installations that investigate the human relationship within the landscape. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and she has participated in residencies including the Arctic Circle Program in Svalbard, Norway. Hoagland has received numerous awards and fellowships for her work, which frequently merges environmental research, material exploration and place-based inquiry.
Burton, who holds a master’s degree in architecture from the Georgia Institute of Technology, approaches photography through purposeful exploration. Based in Atlanta, his work has been exhibited throughout the United States and internationally. In 2024, Burton received first prize and Film Photographer of the Year from the International Photography Awards and was selected for the Arctic Circle Art & Science Residency, where he undertook a two-week expedition in Svalbard.
A public roundtable discussion with Hoagland and Burton, along with Chatwin, will take place at 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, followed by a reception from 4-6:30 p.m., in the Bolivar Art Gallery. Both events are free and open to the public.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.