Great Lakes Aquarium > The Mirrors

The Mirrors

Paintings about the federally listed threatened and endangered animals of Minnesota

Artwork by Adam Swanson

Opening reception – July 28 – 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Great Lakes Aquarium – Masks required.
More information here.

This audio file is an introduction to the exhibit by the artist. The audio and transcript are also available on the audio description page linked below.

Audio descriptions and transcripts, commentary by the artist and conservation information about featured animals are available for six selected pieces from this show.

Link to audio descriptions
artwork of children walking through a doorway inside a home, a large frog clings to the child’s jacket
Let’s get started – Adam Swanson, 2020
Link to audio description and artist comments
artwork of a catfish swimming and near-naked child runs among rocks
Slender Madtom – Adam Swanson, 2020
Link to audio description and artist comments
artwork of a man passed out on a black couch with a painting of a yellow butterfly hung on the wall
Skipper – Adam Swanson, 2020
Link to audio description and artist comments
artwork of a young boy wearing a red coat, at a cabin, feeding wood to a fire while a lynx walks on snow behind him
Stranger – Adam Swanson, 2020
Link to audio description and artist comments
artwork of a blue butterfly on a yellow flower next to two astronauts floating in space.
Walk in this Other Space – Adam Swanson, 2020
Link to audio description and artist comments

The audio description mentions ways to report sightings of these endangered butterflies to the Minnesota DNR. In Wisconsin, residents can be part of a citizen science project to better understand butterfly populations. Learn more about the Karner Volunteer Monitoring Program at this link.
artwork of a Northern Long-eared bat resting under streetlights in a city park with large metal robot in the background
Stars – Adam Swanson, 2020
Link to audio description and artist comments
contemporary artwork with a fish swimming among rocks below a person in a motorized boat
Crystal Darter – Adam Swanson, 2020
contemporary artwork of a person using a roller to paint a wall yellow while having a wood turtle attached to their back with blue fabric
Ebb and Flow – Adam Swanson, 2020
contemporary artwork of a Sprague’s Pipet at the water’s edge with wooden framed houses painted in the distance
Home – Adam Swanson, 2020
artwork of large bumble bee in flight near two yellow flowers on
My real name – Adam Swanson, 2020
artwork with a row of diverse adults appearing distracted, one with a crow head encircle a Blanding’s turtle
Personal – Adam Swanson, 2020
artwork of a moon rover on a rocky surface with freshwater mussels in the background
Test – Adam Swanson, 2020
artwork centered around a single yellow flower with a butterfly perched on the center, backed by several sets of feet walking away from the flower
The Museum – Adam Swanson, 2020
artwork focused on a shorebird at the rocky water’s edge, several hot air balloons fill the open sky, a child walks among the rocks and treed shoreline.
Tales from the Rock – Adam Swanson, 2020