A Field Guide to Sprawl

A Field Guide to Sprawl - currently on display at The Art Exchange Building, is a fascinating study of twentieth century urban development patterns in the United States. The exhibit consists of about three dozen aerial photographs of freeways, factories, shopping malls, subdivisions and stadiums by Jim Wark accompanied by descriptive texts by Yale Architecture professor Dolores Hayden. The texts identify each development phenomenon - gridlock, NIMBY, BANANA, McMansion, Zoomburb - like an Audubon guide identifies birds; the concept and texts for the show come from a book of the same name.

The photographs themselves are stunning - richly colored, dazzling, vivid - even the piles of festering garbage look glorious. Each image is selected to illustrate a particular urban development phenomenon. The show could not be more of our time, with the city grappling with development issues and striving for a more progressive urban environment. The exhibit doesn't take sides in the debate - it is, as they say, a field guide; observations only. You can draw your own conclusions.

The Arts Exchange is located at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue. "A Field Guide to Sprawl" runs February 4 through April 1, 2006. Admission is free. Hours: Tuesday through Saturday noon to 5:00 pm.