HSHSL’s next art exhibit, “Zoning Out: Public Health Impacts by Auto Policy,” by artist Sierra Iola, will be on display in the Weise Gallery from Aug. 1 through Sept. 25. The exhibit explores how we have designed modern life and how “carchitecture” has become so ubiquitous that most people no longer recognize it as a cornerstone of our culture. From the “inevitable” 42,000 traffic deaths each year to hyperconsumption and tire dust, we often treat these seemingly disparate consequences as mundane or even trivial concerns.

Using acrylic, spray paint, Flashe vinyl paint and oil, Iola incorporates low-relief sculptural elements into paintings that examine societal structures through the lens of “carchitecture.” After being “plopped” into an American suburb, Iola began questioning how car-centric policies affect our physical health, mental well-being and social cohesion.

“Zoning Out” invites viewers to reconsider what we accept as normal and imagine a world that supports social, environmental and individual well-being by reassembling our realities through research and intention.