May 20, 2002 – Richard Kirk Mills, a Professor of Art at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University, is bringing his art to Cuba. The Teaneck, New Jersey resident is teaming up with 65 U.S. fine artists and photographers and a past graduate of Long Island University to bring a first-of-its-kind environmental art exhibit titled "Toxic Landscapes: Artists Examine the Environment" to Havannah. The artwork, which will be exhibited at Havannah’s Biblioteca Nacional José Marti (National Library) from June 10 through July 10, is curated by Tim Blunk with Professor Ben Jones of Jersey City State University and funded by The Puffin Foundation, Ltd.

Mills will journey to Havana, Cuba from June 8-15 with a group of U.S. environmental artists, under a license issued by the U.S. Treasury Dept. "Although there is an embargo for trade, commerce and travel, we convinced the government to issue us a permit to have a cultural exchange with Cuban artists," said Puffin Foundation president and founder Perry Rosenstein about the exhibit which took over a year to assemble.

Once there, artists will speak about their work and its context and will meet with representatives of UNEAC (Cuban Union of Writers and Artists). Mills became involved in the project after Tim Blunk suggested he submit work. "I’m looking forward to the experience," said Mills. "It should be a real exchange. The country is on everybody’s cultural map and people are eager for it to be open artistically."

The digital print Mills contributed to the exhibit features an aerial photograph taken in 1954 of the Hackensack River. Mills highlights what is now a superfund cleanup site. "The photograph just spoke to me," he said. "It was a horrible, but riveting industrial document."

More than 400 artists submitted work to be considered for the exhibit. The exhibit also features a special collection of photographs by Les Stone of Greenpeace USA, and work by some of the country’s best-known environmental artists including Joy Garnett, Clayton Merrell, Gabrielle Senza and Philip R.S. Johnson. The art covers many mediums, including paintings, prints, drawings and mixed media collage.

In the fall, the Puffin Foundation will receive two art exhibits from Cuba, which will be displayed in their Teaneck and Soho, NY galleries. Environmental art first emerged in the 1960s in response to Rachel Carson’s work and the environmental movement. "Toxic Landscapes" first premiered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the November 2001 WASTE (Women Assess the State of the Environment) sponsored by the Rachel Carson Institute of Chatham College and the Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO). Later it was exhibited at the Puffin Cultural Forum.

Puffin Foundation president and founder Perry Rosenstein recently was awarded his master of science degree in education from Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus in May of 2001 at the age of 75.

"I didn’t discover that Perry was attending Long Island University until one day last year when I mentioned that I needed to get my cap and gown ready for C.W. Post’s upcoming graduation and he said, "Me, too.""

"The foundation has an interesting mission, which dovetails with my own-to support art and cultural efforts that would normally have a hard time being funded," said Mills. Mills met Rosenstein several years ago after obtaining his first grant from the Puffin Foundation. Mills has received several grants since then from the foundation, all of them for public artwork (artworks placed in public venues).

"I try to connect people to a greater sense of place," Mills said. "In our busy lives, we tend to not see the landscape anymore." His work often deals with environmental degradation and recovery. Sixteen of his works can currently be seen along the Hackensack River in New Jersey.

The C.W. Post Campus, in Brookville, New York, is part of Long Island University, the eighth largest private university in America. For more information, call the C.W. Post Public Relations Office at (516) 299-2332 or email wendy.goldstein@liu.edu.