Beholden

Beholden: A Poem As Long As the River stems from the interdisciplinary artistic research project River Relations: A Beholder's Share of the Columbia River, undertaken as a response to the damming and development of the Columbia River in British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon, as well as to the upcoming renegotiation of the Columbia River Treaty. In transposing this 114-foot-long installation into book form, acclaimed poets Fred Wah and Rita Wong aim to synthesize their experiences along the river with analyses of contemporary and historical research material. As both a stand-alone poem and an accompanying piece to the installation, Beholden contributes to a larger dialogue around the river through visual art, writing and public engagement.