Mostly Pine Trees: An Exhibition by Rebecca Hopkins

Mostly Pine Trees explores our relationship with cars against the backdrop of rural and suburban roads in the Lowcountry. Because my family is scattered across the state, every visit is preceded by a fire through dense pine forests. They line the highways spanning coastal South Caroline and seeing them provokes nostalgia and familiarity. However, because I see these places and communities from inside a car, I feel disconnected from them. I used this recurring experience as a way to reflect on South Carolina’s car-centric infrastructure and its impact on individuals and communities. During the 20th century, planners carved highways through communities to move primarily white commuter in and out of cities efficiently. The way we move through the world is reflective of that legacy.