Now that Vermont is reviewing Act 250—legislation that has done so much to create a unique rural landscape in our state—it’s worth asking what we value in landscape in the first place. Why are inhospitable mountains beautiful? What’s actually attractive about a ruined barn? New York Times Bestselling author M. T. Anderson considers the politics of beautiful scenery and the hidden national longings behind our sense of landscape. He’ll look at the history of our attitudes toward landscape, traditional New England landscape painting, and the work of some contemporary Vermont artists to discuss how different societies have found the sublime in their surroundings—and what that might mean for us in the future. No registration required, but email Alex with questions.

The Power of Landscape is a Vermont Humanities Council program hosted by Carpenter-Carse Library. (Supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the NEH or VHC.)