A new event called photo+sphere, a project of REVOLVE and the MAP (Media Arts Project), will present nationally known speakers, panelists, exhibitions, films, and performances in order to bring attention to how we see the environment through photography and photo-media. Since its origins, photography has supported and enhanced careful observation of the environment and helped shape our understanding and perception of the natural world. photo+sphere will offer an extraordinary opportunity for artists, scientists, and environmentalists to work together creatively on one of the world’s most urgent topics. Eric Baden, Founding Director of photoplus and professor of photography at Warren Wilson College, says: "The level of engagement and collaborative spirit of the many presenters, exhibitors, and creative partners make this a truly exciting event." Here's a quick look at photo+sphere keynote presenters: Mel Chin is an internationally known visual artist whose conceptually rigorous and imaginative art has been at the forefront of community engagement and activism for more than thirty years. The exhibition Mel Chin: All Over the Place is on view at the Queens Museum of Art in New York through August 12 and two major projects debut in Times Square in July. Chin’s work was documented in the popular PBS series Art21. He has received numerous awards and grants from esteemed organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council for the Arts. Sharon Harper, Professor of Visual and Environmental Studies at Harvard University, works with photography and video, exploring how technology mediates our relationship with the natural world and generates perceptual experiences. Her photography is in numerous permanent collections, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, and the Museum of Fine Art, Houston. Justin Guariglia is a photographer and multidisciplinary artist whose work has been featured in the New York Times, Smithsonian, National Geographic, and Time, as well as in monographs published by Chronicle Books and Aperture. In 2015 Guariglia became the first artist to be embedded in a series of NASA missions to produce images of rapidly changing glacial land and sea ice. Programming will take place with leading arts, educational, and environmental partners throughout Asheville, including: Art and Science in the Field, Asheville Art Museum, Asheville Darkroom, Asheville Masonic Temple, Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, Blue Spiral 1, Buckminster Fuller Institute, Captain’s Bookshelf, Cherokee Cultural Center, Collider, DOT Editions, Momentum Gallery, N.C. Nature Conservancy, Pink Dog Creative, RAMP Studios, REVOLVE, Satellite Gallery, Tracey Morgan Gallery, UNC-Asheville, Western Carolina University, and Window (re/presentation | re/production). Advance tickets are available now. photo+sphere is the second in a series of events exploring the relationship of photography and photo-based media to issues of contemporary concern. The first event, photo+craft, took place in 2016 to critical and popular acclaim.