The Penokee Hills, Image: Mario Quintana

Residents in and around Madison will have a great opportunity to see exactly what is at stake in the debate to change our mining laws, when an art exhibit called Explore the Iron Hills opens in the Capitol tomorrow (June 2). The exhibit features the work of 18 artists who seek to capture the heart of the Penokee Range in photography, paintings, drawings, poetry and more.

Wisconsin’s eyes turned to Northern Wisconsin’s Penokee Range over a year ago when a mining company called Gogebic Taconite proposed to build a massive open-pit iron mine in this pristine area. The debate stalled after a bill proposed by the company that would have silenced the voice of the public, rolled back environmental protections and eliminated accountability for mining companies failed to pass the Senate and Gogebic Taconite left the state

Despite the departure of Gogebic Taconite, many Wisconsin leaders have indicated they would like to revisit mining legislation in an attempt to lure other mining companies back to the state.

Explore the Iron Hills will give residents the opportunity to better understand the beauty and culture of the Penokee Range, and thus infuse more context into the legislative debate in Madison. An opening reception for the exhibit will take place tomorrow, June 2nd, from 11am to 1pm on the 2nd floor of the Capitol Rotunda, and will be available for viewing through June 9th.

We hope you have the opportunity to check out this great exhibit!

-Post Contributed by Sam Weis, Communications Director