This Land

David Opdyke’s massive collage This Land as detailed in this book by award-winning author Lawrence Weschler presents a trenchant satire of climate change and the American Dream.

This Land is a large-scale (16 x 10’) collage of treated vintage American postcards by American artist David Opdyke. What at first looks like a gridwork of colorful tiles portraying a panoramic bird’s eye view of an alpine valley reveal upon closer inspection that it is composed of vintage postcards from the early twentieth century.
Comprising more than 500 postcards, each one portraying a distinct slice of idealized Americana (town squares, mountain highways, recently completed dams, main streets and county seats, lakes and rivers)–it becomes clear that Opdyke has layered diminutively painted interventions of his own. In this refashioning, forests are aflame, tornados ravage scenes from one card into the next, a steamboat lolling up the Mississippi is swallowed up whole by some sort of invasive new species, frogs fall from the sky. The human response looks like a cacophony of cults and cons, panic and denial. Biplanes trail banners urging Repent Now!, others insist Legislative Action Would Be Premature, while still others beg, Build the Sea Wall!
The book This Land allows readers a close viewing that allows them to focus on the amusing and disturbing satirical details that Opdyke details, enlivened by Lawrence Weschler’s lively style of artist profile, critical interpretation, and humorous riffing. A deep exploration of this intricate artwork, This Land is a rich document whose relevance and reach will unfortunately only grow.