RALEIGH, N.C. — A new exhibit at the N.C. Museum of Art might make you think twice about your impact on the environment.

What You Need To Know

  • “Fault Lines: Art and the Environment” is a new exhibit at the N.C. Museum of Art

  • The featured pieces focus on climate change, pollution and related topics

  • "North Carolina Satellite Reef" explores our impact on coral reefs and features materials from N.C. State

“Fault Lines: Art and the Environment” opens Saturday and features artists from all over the world.

“My hope is that by drawing you into the story kind of obliquely or from a different angle or even surprisingly, it will shift your perspective,” Linda Dougherty, the chief curator and curator of contemporary art at NCMA, said. "It will make you see the world in a different way and maybe challenge the assumptions you’ve had."

Many of the pieces are made from recycled materials like old coffee cup lids, plastic shopping bags and water bottles.

“What I really hope is that once you realize, for instance, that this piece behind me is made out of thousands of used recycled coffee cup lids, it will make you think about your life and how you as an individual can change what you do and have a greater impact,” Dougherty said.

The featured artists explore topics like climate change, pollution, species and habitat loss as well as restoration.

“Over the past three years, I’ve realized there was a huge body of artists looking at the same issues. This is the pulse of contemporary art all over the world. It doesn’t matter if you’re working in London, Asheville, Los Angeles. They’re all thinking about the same things,” Dougherty said.

A crocheted coral reef, "North Carolina Satellite Reef," is on display and the artists responsible partnered with N.C. State’s recycling center to collect plastic film used in that piece. The reef is considered “community participation artwork” and about 405 people submitted crocheted pieces that were put together to form the one piece.

There are also mini-installations of this exhibit at organizations across the state including at the N.C. Zoo in Asheboro, the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville and the Iredell County Public Library in Statesville.

“Fault Lines: Art and the Environment” will run through July 17, and once it ends, "North Carolina Satellite Reef" will travel to the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem and then some aquariums throughout the state.