Panel | Regeneration: Long Island’s History Of Ecological Art And Care
Lea Miller
Panel discussion with artist Sara Siestreem and members of the Shinnecock Kelp Farmers, Moderated by Associate Curator Scout Hutchinson
May 24, 2 PM – 3 PM
Free for Members | Free for Resident Benefits PassHolders | $25 Guests of Member | $30 Adults | Free for Students & Children
Join us in the Lichtenstein Theater for a conversation between artist Sara Siestreem (Hanis Coos) and members of the Shinnecock Kelp Farmers to celebrate their collaborative work presented in the exhibition Regeneration: Long Island’s History of Ecological Art and Care. The conversation will be moderated by Scout Hutchinson, The FLAG Art Foundation Associate Curator of Contemporary Art.
The Shinnecock Kelp Farmers are an intergenerational collective of Indigenous women who are restoring the ancestral Shinnecock tradition of seaweed harvesting to address pollution in local waters. In 2024, Siestreem began working closely with these water protectors to learn about their project and the significance of Sugar Kelp to Shinnecock lifeways. A traditional source of food, medicine, and natural fertilizer, the kelp also absorbs excess nitrogen, helping to clean the water of harmful contaminants that impact human and aquatic life. Drawing on Siestreem’s myriad processes—from abstract mark making and basket weaving to Xerox transfers—the works created for Regeneration reflect her collaboration with the Shinnecock Kelp Farmers and their shared emphasis on Indigenous land rights, community engagement, and ecological restoration.
Advance registration is recommended. Limited spaces will be available at the door.
About the Exhibition
Regeneration: Long Island’s History of Ecological Art and Care (February 22–June 14, 2026) showcases works that emerge from the convergence of ecological art, environmental action, and community collaboration. The exhibition presents eleven intergenerational artists with strong ties to Long Island and New York—including Scott Bluedorn, Jeremy Dennis (Shinnecock), Sasha Fishman, Maya Lin, Tucker Marder, Mamoun Nukumanu, Randi Renate, Cindy Pease Roe, Sara Siestreem (Hanis Coos), Alan Sonfist, and Michelle Stuart—whose works stem from an active involvement with the environmental challenges that impact the East End. Addressing rising sea levels, depleted natural habitats, and ocean pollution, the artists in Regeneration approach these issues from a place of curiosity, hope, and shared responsibility, ultimately modeling restorative ways of engaging with our ecosystems.
