Sherri Chaba: Artist Statement
What would the future look like in a post petroleum centered society?  Having grown up in Alberta, in a region directly impacted by the presence and extraction of oil, I have been challenged for many years by this question that now underlies much of my recent work.  As a third generation landowner, a member of a rural community and someone whose livelihood has depended on oil, I have developed an understanding of the diverse and competing values--the political, ethical, historical, economic, social and environmental--that position each of us in the debate on natural resources. In my work, I express these values through installations that often merge historical artifacts with industrial materials. 
While I draw on my own experience with oil, I also recognize the complexity of experiences through which others view my work.  These installations challenge people to share their experiences and reflect on them in a wider context, as a way of moving beyond the personal.  My hope is that as they bring their knowledge and vision into the space, they will develop a deeper understanding as to where they situate themselves within 21st century dialogues of ecological and societal sustainability.  
2020 refers to a perfect vision and presents a post-petroleum society in the form of desolate landscapes.