Sundance at Susan Swartz Studios: Art, Film, & Natural Order

This January, Susan Swartz Studios became a hub of conversation, creativity, and community as we hosted a week of programming during the final Sundance Film Festival in Park City. Set to the backdrop of Natural Order (January 21-February 22), the gallery transformed into a meeting ground where film, art, and environmental advocacy intersected in meaningful and inspiring ways. 

The Exhibition: Natural Order 

At the heart of our Sundance programming was Natural Order, an exhibition uniting the work of Edward Burtynsky, Sebastião Salgado, and Susan Swartz. 

The exhibition explored the paradox embedded in the phrase “natural order”: the idea that systems govern the universe, yet human intervention continually reshapes them. Across centuries of landscape depiction—from ancient frescoes to Romanticism—artists have attempted to render nature’s majesty. Today, that effort carries new urgency as environmental change alters what we are able to see, experience, and preserve. 

Salgado’s black-and-white photographs echo the grandeur of earlier masters such as Ansel Adams while foregrounding deeply human stories within epic landscapes. Burtynsky’s sweeping images reveal the scale of human industry etched onto the earth’s surface, at once beautiful and unsettling. Swartz’s luminous paintings return us to the elemental forces that sustain life, rehumanizing our connection to the environment through texture and color. 

Together, the three artists shift our perspective of the natural world, encouraging both awe and responsibility. In alignment with the exhibition’s ethos, 20% of all sales supported preservation efforts for the Great Salt Lake. We are deeply grateful to the artists and to Sundaram Tagore Gallery for their partnership in bringing this landmark presentation to life. 

 Opening Sundance: The Lake Premiere Party 

On January 22, we celebrated the opening of Sundance with the premiere party for The Lake. Set against the backdrop of Natural Order, the evening highlighted the urgent environmental story of the Great Salt Lake and the power of collective action. 

The film’s recognition with the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Impact for Change resonated deeply with our exhibition’s themes, reinforcing the role of art and film in galvanizing public awareness and advocacy. 

 Stories of Resilience: One in a Million 

The following evening, we hosted the premiere celebration for One in a Million, an Impact Partners production filmed over ten years. The film follows one girl’s journey from Syria to Germany and back again, illuminating the complexities of war, exile, and identity. The event expanded the gallery’s dialogue beyond environmental themes to include migration, resilience, and belonging. 

 Exhibition Opening 

On January 24, we celebrated the opening of Natural Order, organized in collaboration with Sundaram Tagore Gallery and curated by Claire Breukel. The exhibition reunited Burtynsky, Salgado, and Swartz following their earlier collaboration at the 2022 Sotheby’s Impact Gala in support of Instituto Terra, the acclaimed reforestation initiative founded by Sebastião and Lélia Salgado. The opening celebrated the powerful works of each artist and a commitment to environmental restoration. 

 Conversations on Art and Film: The Gallerist Panel 

On January 25, we hosted a lively panel discussion for The Gallerist following its Sundance premiere. Director Cathy Yan joined producers Sophie Mas and Ash Sarohia, as well as art consultant Robert Dimin, with moderation by Laura Allred Hurtado of the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art. The conversation examined the evolving relationships between artists, markets, and storytelling, offering an insightful complement to the themes of Natural Order. 

 Bridging Divides: The Utah Way Reception 

Later that day, the gallery welcomed participants from the The Utah Way convening. The reception focused on bridging political and cultural divides through shared values and place-based solutions, with the Great Salt Lake serving as a powerful case study for collaborative environmental stewardship. 

 ThinkSuite: The Winds of Climate Change 

Also on January 25, we hosted an intimate ThinkSuite gathering, “The Winds of Climate Change,” bringing together voices from art, film, and environmental science. Highlights included reflections from Odessa Rae, the Oscar- and BAFTA-winning documentary producer of Navalny, and a conversation between Susan Swartz and filmmaker-gallerist Sundaram Tagore on reimagining the intersection of art, nature, and cinema. The evening concluded with inspiring words from environmental scientist Ben Abbott of BYU, who also appears in The Lake. The event marked the announcement of Susan Swartz as ThinkSuite’s first Artist in Residence. 

 Celebrating a Trailblazer: Give Me the Ball! 

Our Sundance programming concluded on January 26 with a premiere celebration for Give Me the Ball!, a powerful portrait of tennis icon Billie Jean King. With the champion herself in attendance alongside filmmakers and producers, the evening honored her enduring impact on sport, equity, and cultural progress. 

Bringing Art, Film, and Community Together 

Across premieres, panels, and gatherings, Susan Swartz Studios became a place where ideas converged, where art illuminated environmental urgency, film expanded our empathy, and community dialogue fostered shared purpose. 

Natural Order served as the anchor, reminding us that while humanity may seek to reorder the world, we remain deeply embedded within it. Through the works of Burtynsky, Salgado, and Swartz, we were invited to see our surroundings with renewed clarity and to consider our collective role in preserving them. 

As Sundance closes its Park City chapter, we are grateful for the artists, filmmakers, scholars, and guests who filled the gallery with thoughtful conversation and genuine care for our shared future.